


By Mists Foretold - Exodus Ascension

by Talonticus



Series: By Mists Foretold [1]
Category: Guild Wars (Video Game), Guild Wars Series (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure-ish, Dialogue Heavy, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/F, Flameseeker Prophecies, Gen, Gw1, LGBTQ Characters of Color, LGBTQ Female Characters of Color, M/M, OC-centric, Occasional violence, Swearing, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 07:02:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 54
Words: 125,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9480371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talonticus/pseuds/Talonticus
Summary: When Miljana grew up in the depths of Regent Valley, she was always told that it was her clan's task to guard the people from the dangers of the forest and keep it free for travelers to wander through. What they never expected was for a much worse threat to descend upon their homeland, jeopardizing everything they've ever deemed as a safe haven. Extraordinary measures must be taken to preserve the memory of Ascalon.





	1. Escalation

**Author's Note:**

> **Main characters:** Miljana Vlasic (Female Ascalonian Ranger), Sayaki (Trans-Female Canthan Assassin), Devona, Isidro (Male Krytan Elementalist), Amadi (Male Elonian Dervish)  
>  **Secondary characters:** Vizier Khilbron, Princess Salma, Evennia  
>  **Minor characters:** Gwen, Prince Rurik, Confessor Dorian, Glint, Ferid Vlasic (Male Human OC), Onyeka Vlasic (Female Human OC), King Jalis Ironhammer, Justiciar Hablion
> 
> _Hello there, I'm Claire Talon or Talonticus and this is yet another story that I've decided to start (I don't know why), among the gazillion I'm already trying to write. I do try to finish them all, I promise!_
> 
> _Anyway, as you may have seen from the tags and titles, this is a Guild Wars story. And yes, the first GW, not the second. I'm not sure how many there are of those on this site, nor how long they usually are, but this one will probably be at least fairly lengthy._   
>  _In essence, it's a story that follows my main characters "team", led by a ranger from Ascalon, Miljana Vlasic, through the plot of the "Prophecies" campaign. Yes, they are the "Chosen" or "Ascendants", albeit my own original takes._
> 
> _To accomplish this, I've got a fairly diverse crew, which I'm sure you can see by the names. Not all of them appear immediately, of course. In fact, some of them won't appear until halfway through this one, but I hope to continue using this crew through all the campaigns (with a separate story for each). It will hopefully give more insight into their lives, stories and how they help to shape the world around them._   
>  _If you want to read a little bit more about the main characters, or just see some pictures of them, I've made a page on[my blog](http://creativebankruptcy.tumblr.com/gw1) to put up profiles of them. I'll update it as I go along.._   
>  _I should also add that the clothes they wear on the pictures aren't necessarily the same as how they're described in the actual story. It may be best to read their appearance descriptions as well or just disregard the clothes on the images. Arenanet doesn't always have what I'm imagining my characters like._
> 
> _Those who have seen/read my first GW2 fic on this site may recognize the name of the main character. Yes, this is the ancestor of Sovica Vlasic, before she became known as a "hero". Or well, this is how it happened, pretty much._
> 
> _Note: This fic stars a black woman (Miljana), a Japanese trans woman (Sayaki), a black man (Amadi), and a latino man (Isidro) as four of the five protagonists (or inspired by those origins, at least). I'm a white writer, so I welcome any feedback from fans of color regarding any of them._
> 
> _Anyway, I hope you enjoy it._

_1070 AE – Northern Regent Valley, Ascalon_

A cold wind surges through the region, blowing between the withering colors of the trees as autumn approaches, brushing past the black bears, devourers, deer and skale which inhabits its fairly thick vegetation, until it finally tangles itself through a long set of wavy hair in brown colors. A dark brown hand with a moss green leather glove on top, grabs the rebellious strands, attempts to pull them back down and place them underneath her chin. She’s currently too occupied watching the area below her to arrange it into a more manageable style, but that does not mean she wishes it to flap around and get stuck upon a branch or something similar. It has happened before, after all.

Sharp green eyes spot grey-furred humanoid creatures beneath the hill she is situated on, armed with spears, swords, axes and custom-made trinkets of their own design. Many of them wear necklaces with different patterns and layouts; some are quite simplistic, while others can be fairly intricate or ornate. The fact that grawl travel through passages of the valley like this isn’t really the issue in Miljana’s point of view, but rather the large amount which they’re gathering in, as well as the sort of equipment they’re carrying. Their kind has always been a nuisance, but when did they get so organized?  
The fact that the charr’s offensive has come very close to Ascalon City at the same time as the grawl make further moves on human territory, cannot be a coincidence. But why would they fight together? She has never heard of any correlation in the past between their two races.

Suddenly, her eyes are diverted somewhat sideways, as she hears a low menacing growl, although not directed at her, but rather the view ahead of them. They’re hiding behind a set of bushes for the time being, but that does not mean they’re free to make noises. Miljana places a hand upon the back of her red and brown spotted feline companion, trying to calm it down as she whispers softly.  
“Nakota, be quiet. We’re too outnumbered to make a scene now.”

The gracious Melandru’s stalker, lying prowled on the mossy stone underneath her, glances up momentarily, and then let’s out a discontent noise from her nose, like a sigh. Miljana smiles, comprehending the sentiment, but knows it’s not wise to strike before it’s necessary. Their united strength lies in swift and silent ambushes, not direct assaults. At least not without proper backup.

Their scouting session is momentarily interrupted by another noise, further down the road they’re watching. The scream they hear sounds distinctly human and fairly childlike as well. Both Nakota and Miljana turn their heads in that direction, but the trees are too much in the way to get a proper view. Grabbing the bow she has placed on the ground, she runs her arm between the body and string of it and rests it on her shoulder, before she gets into a crouching position and starts to walk as quickly as she can. The stalker follows her rather swiftly as well, being far better at fast movement through the vegetation on this hill.

When they finally reach the origin of the shouting, they see something they hadn’t quite expected. A young human girl with fair skin and short brown hair, in a light blue dress with a white sleeves and pants, as well as a scarlet cape, is being dragged away between two rather hulky grawl. It’s hard to hear what they’re saying, as it’s mostly grunts and a few snarls, but it’s at least fairly clear that the girl is not there by her own free will. Her cheeks are stained by tears and she occasionally tries to struggle to get free, but to no avail.  
Miljana frowns, wondering what use they might have for a human child. They don’t eat kids, do they? Not as far as she knows. Perhaps she’s to be a captive, used to lure her people in or something along those lines. Either way, because of the girl’s struggle, they’ve fallen behind the rest of the marching grawl, which presents the pair above with an opportunity.

Raising her hand and pointing to an area behind the grawl, Nakota watches the directions she’s given and then immediately begins to creep away through the bushes to find a path down to ground level. It is a sign of their connection how effortlessly this is done. Miljana herself pulls her hand over to her back and grabs an arrow from the quiver that is attached behind her and prepares a shot. She waits for several moments, moving with the grawl from her own position, until she can spot the stalker now being very close, waiting for the signal.

In a sudden flurry of action, the girl can see and hear how one of the grawl holding her wrist so tightly, groans from something that impales its chest. Both of the furry creatures are shocked to see an arrow making a bloody mark upon its body and looks up to see what’s going on. On the hill, the human in the shadows of the forest quickly prepares another projectile and unleashes it before they can react, planting itself very close to the first. The warrior tumbles to the ground.  
Before the second grawl has a chance to shout for its comrades, a large feline tackle it from behind and digs large fangs deep into its neck, shutting off any calls for protest and quickly extinguishes resistance as well.

The girl looks wide-eyed at the feline, almost all noises being stopped except for a few sniffles. She’s not sure whether she should be glad it happened, or afraid that a predator is so very close to her.  
She’s even more startled when another human land next to her, dressed in moss green leather and with a long flowing purple cloak adorning her shoulders and back. The new arrival quickly grabs the girl with one arm and lifts her up. She’s too shocked to make any acts of resistance.  
“Who…who are you?”

The ranger attaches the bow to her shoulder once more and then motions with a finger over her mouth.  
“Miljana, and I’m here to take you to safety. More will be coming to investigate soon and we need to hide.”

The trio quickly escapes, mostly by having Miljana carry the girl up towards the hill and they dash for the bushes to get beneath them again, waiting to see what will happen.  
Just as expected, not long after, another grawl patrol arrives, reacting with shock at the death of their two warriors, before they send out search parties. Thankfully, they all run past the position of the hiding humans.

As the girl manages to calm herself, at least to a small degree, she lies there on the ground while studying the woman next to her. This one is obviously a grown up, although probably not particularly old. She seems to be quite fit, at least with how easily she carried the girl, but not immensely so. The purple cloak has an interesting mark on the back of it – a golden bird with a long tail, spreading its majestic wings.  
“Are you…one of the forest people?”

Miljana raises a brow, mostly in surprise, before she emits a brief and restrained laughter.  
“We tend to prefer being called clan Vlasic, but I suppose that’s an apt description as well. We do live here in this valley, yes.”  
As the grawl are not all too close anymore, they both get up onto their knees and the ranger gives the area a quick sweep before she speaks to the girl once more.  
“Do you have parents somewhere nearby?”

The girl looks unsure, stroking a hand up at her other arm as she looks down unto the ground.  
“I don’t know if she’s nearby, but my mother should be at home. I was just playing outside, close to the forest, when the grawl came and took me away. They weren’t very nice or gentle…”

“Where’s your home?”

“Ashford village.”

Miljana inclines her head in thought, realizing it’s not too far away. However, with so many grawl wandering about that side of the forest, it’s probably best to find an alternative route to the village later on.  
“I’m going to get you home soon enough, but for now, it might be best if we go back to my clan so that they can help us. Is that okay with you?”

She gets a curt nod and a little sniffle from the girl.  
“Yes.”

Miljana smiles, stroking a comforting hand at her shoulder.  
“What’s your name, by the way?”

The girl looks up, facing Miljana and then tries to wipe some of the dirt away from her face, intermingled with dried tears.  
“Gwen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yeah, unlike with Blood bond, I won't be marking every chapter with the year and location. It will be more infrequent._


	2. Safety unfolded

Deeper into the thick greenery of Regent Valley, it is possible for wanderers to reach a small village with rather modestly built houses, done so more out of a need to blend in rather than to oppose extravagance.  
Dotted around the landscape of the settlement, there are camps, outposts one might say, all the way to the exterior of the woods. They aren’t always in use, but tend quite often to be, in order to fulfill their foremost purpose – keeping a balance of protection for citizens just outside and to preserve the majesty of the forest. As most of them are hunters anyhow, this works out rather well for them, as they enjoy the relative peace within the Valley. As they have become so successful at what they do, many villagers in the nearby areas believe that the denizens may very well be blessed by Melandru herself, the goddess of nature and earth. The hunters tend not to speculate.

One of the outposts further away from the village is currently in use on this day, and becomes disturbed by noise from beyond the bushes. The four people sitting around a campfire prepare themselves, but such precautions are in vain, as they recognize the woman wandering into the camp.  
“Miljana! Lost your touch for subtlety or something?”

The younger ranger looks towards a man with short black and slightly greying hair, with a similar dark brown complexion as her own. His eyes are a light brown instead of her green, however. He’s dressed mostly in hardened leather, surrounded by cloth in various colors to provide camouflage in the woods. Miljana smiles at him and corrects the cloak around her neck.  
“What, did I startle you, father?”

Ferid, one of the huntmasters of clan Vlasic, sighs briefly and shakes his head.  
“I didn’t say that. Just pointing out that you were stomping around like a clumsy grawl.”

“Pff. I think ‘stomping’ is a bit of an exaggeration. Besides, it wasn’t actually me.”

She then glances over her shoulder and motions with her hand towards someone. The rest of the group notices that their fellow hunter is accompanied by a young girl, as well as Nakota, of course.  
Ferid arches an inquisitive brow when he locks eyes with Gwen.  
“And who is this?”

Miljana smiles at her, trying to look as friendly as possible. The clan's cautious attitudes towards visitors can sometimes feel intimidating to others and she doesn’t wish this girl to get that sensation. For that purpose, she offers her hand to hold, which is swiftly accepted.  
“This is Gwen. Nakota and I were scouting around the northern border when we ran into a big group of grawl. They had kidnapped her and intended to take her to their encampment.”

Ferid displays a moderately surprised look.  
“Grawl? Why would they kidnap a girl?”

“I’m not sure. Not yet anyway.”

Before they can continue the conversation, another person stands up from the campfire. It’s a woman of a similar height as Miljana and while her skin is instead of an ochre color, close to a mellow or pale brown, some of her facial features, along with her hair and eye colors, appears similar to the younger ranger. Obviously, this one looks older, with her braided hair having some grey highlights as well.  
She kneels down next to Gwen and smiles.  
“Hello there, little Gwen. I’m Onyeka. Are you alright? Did the grawl hurt you?”

Gwen feels safer when seeing the older woman’s expression and she nods.  
“A little bit, yes. They were mean and dragged me away. I tried to scream at them, but they were growling at me…”

Onyeka offers her hand.  
“Come sit down with me by the fire and let’s see if they wounded you in any way.”

For a moment, Gwen looks up at Miljana just to be sure. She smiles at Gwen, letting go of her hand as a sign that it’s alright. Afterwards, Onyeka leads the girl towards the fire and they sit down together. As they do, Gwen can see several more bows and quivers lying around the camp, similar to Miljana’s. The two other people in the camp offers friendly gestures as well, but say nothing. It would seem that they aren’t family members to the other three either, but probably just members of the clan.

While this happens, Miljana had been following them with her eyes, just to make sure that Gwen reacts well to them. Afterwards, she locks eyes with her father again.  
“She’s from Ashford village and it seems to have been pure bad luck that she was taken, but I’m still worried. I did promise that she will be safe with us until I can take her back home.”

“Of course, we will give her food and shelter in the meantime.”  
Ferid folds his arms, displaying a troubled scowl as well.  
“And well, it’s not…completely unusual for the grawl to wander that far. They like to hunt just as much as we do and they don’t exactly care for human needs.”

It is true that the grawl and humans don’t really get along very well. Actually, they tend not to get along much with each other either, as different tribes fight over territory, sovereignty and the will of their gods, or whatever they worship.  
“Father, you didn’t see the kind of movement I witnessed today. They were moving around in groups at least twice as big as their normal sizes. On top of that, they were carrying charr weaponry.”

As Onyeka isn’t sitting very far away, she glances over her shoulder while she helps Gwen out, sharing a look with both Ferid and Miljana.  
He appears very skeptical, however.  
“Charr ones? You’re sure?”

“Definitely. Axes, spears, swords – the kind of quality which they’ve never had before.”

He raises a hand to scratch at his short and finely cut beard, trying to contemplate their options.  
“That can mean a lot of things, you know. With how much fighting occurs in the north, it’s entirely possible that some of them merely looted such weapons from the battlefield.”

They’ve had this kind of conversation a lot lately, and Miljana doesn’t look entirely satisfied.  
“Or traded with them.”

Ferid glances at her, clearly not thinking in the same lines.  
“You’re overestimating their capabilities, Miljana. When have they ever been known for diplomacy?”

“Who says this is about talking at all? The charr could’ve just given it to them.”

“And when would that have happened? Those beasts haven’t gotten past the wall yet, much less had the ability to actually hand weapon over to grawl.”

She sighs and shakes her head.  
“I think you’re the one who’s wrong here, father. Something suspicious is going on. We should act.”

He raises an eyebrow, before snorting briefly.  
“And what would you have us do, huh? March against the grawl? And what will happen if you’re wrong about their intentions and they just wish to defend themselves against the charr as well? Then we may start another war, which might’ve been entirely avoidable.”

Miljana frowns and glances down.  
“And if we do nothing, we might be too late.”

“Well, until we have proof of either of these options, we can’t act too hastily. I say we lay low for now and keep our scouts spread out across the outposts to see what happens.”

Another exhale from his daughter as she shakes her head.  
“Yeah, we could do that _or_ we speak with the people in Ascalon city. We could unite with their forces and chase them off before something happens.”

Ever since the charr’s invasion started, they’ve had this discussion every now and then. It’s come to the point where the other three in the camp just sigh, being used to hearing it.  
“Miljana…you know we can’t. Our place is here, in the woods. People expect us to guard the Valley and that’s what we’re being paid to do. You think they’ll be satisfied with our efforts if they see us come running at the slightest notice of danger?”

She rolls her eyes. In her mind, he’s just blind to the truth of what needs to be done.  
“This isn’t just a minor cause for concern, father. They may be rising to join the charr in the war! The increased numbers and weapons are proof of that. Besides, you really think they’ll judge us for acting when it seems necessary? We’ve protected this place for generations now. They trust us.”

“Exactly, so we shouldn’t break that trust, nor shirk our duty to our home.”

Miljana takes a few steps closer to him, looking up with a somewhat fiercer gaze.  
“If we have a duty to our home, doesn’t that mean we should help protect everyone that we can? It’s not just us who may be threatened, but those outside as well. Look what happened to Gwen. What if this has occurred before? It could happen again and end up much worse.  
Both charr and grawl threaten Ascalon now and our clan needs to do more than just hide in the shadows of these trees. We need to help our people out.”

The kind of stubbornness she displays right now makes Onyeka smile, while Ferid’s shoulders slumps. It seems she just won’t give up and he will admit that he’s getting tired of arguing.  
“I guess I won’t be able to stop you forever, huh?”

Her appearance softens somewhat, but she nods just as sharply.  
“Pretty much.”

“Well, you know I can’t tell the whole clan to just step out of the woods nor charge against the grawl. But…I suppose I can speak with the other huntmasters and see if we can’t prepare some precautions, in case they do become a threat.”

Miljana inclines her head again.  
“Thanks for listening. Anything else?”

Ferid looks at her, tilting his head somewhat skeptically.  
“You really want to do this?”

“You know I do.”

He shrugs, seemingly somewhat defeated at this point. There’s a subject she’s been talking about for weeks, but he just hasn’t been able to agree to it. She may be an adult, but he is still one of the huntmasters, the leaders of the clan and she wouldn’t disobey him. Well, not directly.  
“Very well, let’s hope I don’t come to regret this.  
I know you want to get the chance to join up with the military to help protect the wall. And…I suppose if that’s what you want, I can’t fight your wishes forever. You have my permission to enlist.”

Her face suddenly changes expression, softening even further until it forms a smile. She raises a hand to stroke his arm gently, not being one for overly sentimental expressions.  
“Thank you, father. I appreciate your trust in me.”

Ferid sighs, while shutting his eyes.  
“I dunno if I’d call it ‘trust’ but, you’re as stubborn as your mother, so you’ll either complain about it until I give in, or make my life much worse.”

Miljana smirks, while Onyeka stares at him over her shoulder.  
“Excuse me? I’m sitting right here!”

He smiles at his wife and sends her a wink. He then redirects his attention to Miljana again.  
“I’ll send a bird with a letter to someone I know that you can talk with. A young officer, Devona, was in the woods to the northwest not too long ago. She’s been asking for recruits and we haven’t allowed anyone just yet, but they know how capable and well-trained we are, so they’re very interested. I’m sure she’ll agree to let you in among them.”

“Devona, huh? Alright, I’ll look her up after I’ve taken Gwen back to Ashford.”

As her gaze wanders off towards the north, looking out past some of the trees, she feels a bit of excitement. She has wanted this for quite a few years. She was born during a time when the Guild Wars were at their worst and it was impossible not to hear of the devastations on the battlefield. She felt an urge to help out, especially as the conflict never reached the Valley. However, her parents were far too concerned for her safety to allow it.  
With the charr’s invasion, all that seems to be changing and she is eager to finally help defend her homeland.


	3. Dawn of struggle

It is a rather sunny and pleasant day when Miljana eventually reaches the large, wide and green fields of Lakeside County. The sun is just on the precipice of reaching midday, the singing of birds can be heard from the sparser forests to the east of her location and while the wind is a little bit hasty this day, it does not deter her from the sights and smells she can perceive in the area. While she has lived most of her life within the woods of the Valley, she always gains a sense of excitement whenever she leaves to travel somewhere else within Ascalon. In the past, this mostly included joining other clan members on trade runs or aiding their neighbors of nearby territories with a particularly nasty beast that needed to be brought down. Most Vlasics did see the potential in offering their services to more than just the state, after all.  
However, this day is special somehow, as she’s not out here to accompany someone else, but to follow her own desires.

To the southwest and east, she can see settlements – Ashford, the relatively minor village which she recently left behind after helping Gwen to get home and to the east, the grand Ascalon City.  
The latter stands as quite a gem amongst anything else in its vicinity, with the largest building’s stone towers being possible to see from miles away. It may not be the capital, but it’s certainly the largest settlement, at least from what Miljana has heard. With thousands of citizens, some say it’s the cultural center of the nation, even going so far as to proclaim that ‘all roads lead to Ascalon City’. This may be somewhat exaggerated and while she might not know the truth of this statement herself, she has enjoyed the few visits she has made to it. The very first time she was there, it was both exhilarating and frightening. This was many years ago, of course, but there is still no other place she knows where so many people are gathered simultaneously. To think that it could ever fall to the charr is a ludicrous notion.

This belief is enhanced by the sight she can spot to the north – the Great Northern Wall. It’s one of the most massive creations in this entire region, standing as a beacon to Ascalonian resilience. It’s highly unlikely that anyone would be able to tear through it. The charr may have taken Drascir, the old capital, and Rin, the current capital, but not only is Ascalon City protected by the Wall, but also better fortified than either of those cities.  
As impressive as it is, construction of it begun less than 200 years ago, and even Miljana’s clan still have stories from when her people witnessed its creation. If the charr bastards wishes to seize their center, they will have to go through the wall, which is a monumental task.

As these thoughts linger in her mind, she finally reaches the farming fields north of Ashford. She was directed from the village, when asking about the person she’s meant to meet with. Both Miljana and Nakota peer out from their positions at the end of the fields and eventually spot a few people gathered further to the west. The ranger smiles as she motions for her companion to follow her, while she picks up the pace.

The group she approaches seems quite meagre for what is supposed to be some kind of military platoon. In fact, they look mostly like young men and women working as farmers or simple crafters, with some haphazard gear. Not exactly the top military personnel she expected when her father had told her about the ‘Ascalon Vanguard’.  
Well, the one exception may be the person in front of them, currently giving them instructions. By the appearance – fair complexion, shoulder length blonde hair held together by a headband, plate armor, quite a muscular build with a height somewhere above six feet – Miljana guesses that this is the woman she is looking for.

When she’s just about 200 yards away, she notices how the soldier begins to lead them elsewhere, forcing Miljana to pick up her pace even further and call out for them.  
“Hold up! Wait for me!”

The group all stops and turns to watch the ranger rush towards them, with her purple cloak flapping behind her. Some of them actually wince when they spot the Melandru’s stalker by her side, but the soldier simply crosses her arms.  
“I thought we hadn’t forgotten anyone.”

Miljana keeps running all the way until she’s almost right in front of the soldier, which is when she leans over and begins to pant while holding hands at her legs.  
“Phew. Sorry, I just…wasn’t sure if I’d catch up with you, so I had to run.”  
When she swallows and looks up, she notices the soldier’s expectant gaze.  
“Are you Sergeant Devona?”

The NCO arches her brow for a moment before quickly surveying Miljana.  
“That’s right. What village are you from? Can’t say I recognize you.”

Miljana smiles and stands up after a few more breaths and puts a closed fist to her chest in some sort of salute. She doesn’t know if that’s how they do it, but seems as good as any.  
“I’m from Regent Valley, Sergeant. Miljana, of clan Vlasic.”

This surprises Devona, as well as some of the recruits.  
“Huh. Now that’s not something I expected to hear today. When I spoke to your uh, huntmasters or whatever you call them, they told me that none of your clan would be available for the army, as you had duties in the Valley.”

The ranger inclines her head in agreement and moves her hands to her hips.  
“That may have been the case before, but times have changed.  
My father, Huntmaster Ferid, has agreed to allow me to join up as a recruit. That is, if you’ll have me.”

Devona appears to ponder the request for a moment, while of course also giving the feline that sits beside her a glance.  
“Hmm. Well, I guess that depends if you’re here of your own accord or not.”

“Oh yes, I certainly am! I’m willing and eager to prove myself, sir.”

“And what about your uh, companion?”

It’s not just Devona who shows a bit of skepticism to Nakota’s presence. The recruits seem to have taken at least step or two backwards to keep away from the ferocious predator’s vicinity. This is both out of fear and respect. However, Miljana mostly finds it amusing.  
“Oh, that’s Nakota. We’re bonded, she and I. Wherever I go, she follows.”

“And you intend to fight with her at your side?”

“That’s the idea. Not that she has to join us in training, but she and I have fought many dangers together.”

“Does she follow your command?”

Miljana tilts her head, smiling wryly at this specific phrase.  
“Not really, but she doesn’t need to. We’re friends, not master and servant. She follows me, though, so you don’t have to be afraid about her striking anyone. As long as they don’t annoy her, of course.”

In response to this, Nakota begins to purr loud enough for them to hear as she strokes her head against Miljana’s leg.  
The Sergeant watches their interaction and then shrugs.  
“Alright, sure. If you think you can keep up, come with us.”  


* * *

  
After a bit of a walk, Miljana and the other recruits are taken to some training grounds on the eastern end of the Green Hills County, the region right next to Lakeside. There are training equipment, areas and fortifications prepared specifically for soldiers, and though Miljana finds out that these people aren’t technically meant for the Vanguard, but rather here to build up a militia in case the charr break through or to combat other nearby threats, they’re still allowed to use it all. Seeing as how most soldiers are out in the field, there are not a lot of other people present anyway.

The group spend the next three days training with swords, shields, bows and other weapons, so that Devona can assess their abilities. She also takes them on a run or two, to test their stamina. In between these sessions, they’re given time to rest in joint sleeping quarters, as well as meals at appropriate times. Nakota remains with Miljana most of the time, although whenever she has to spar or do some other exercise, she directs the stalker to remain by Devona’s side. The Sergeant quickly learns that Nakota appears to follow Miljana’s every command, or ‘suggestion’ as she calls it.

After the three days are done, pretty much all of the recruits are exhausted. Devona has tried to push them hard, obviously to test their abilities. She figured that none would last at this tempo, but then again, that was the point. She’ll go easier on them from here on out. However, there is one exception which was not included in her calculations – Miljana. Even if she too tends to breathe heavier after some of the tougher sessions, she does manage to recover at a much quicker rate than the others. On top of that, she has yet to be bested by any of the other recruits and she keeps up a much better pace than the rest of the farmers and crafters. Devona might even say that she’s too good to simply be placed among a militia.

To test her capabilities, on the fourth day, the Sergeant decides to duel Miljana on her own, evaluating her speed, agility as well as strength. While they use wooden swords and shields, it does still hurt whenever one gets hit and she hopes to examine the ranger’s resilience too. After a few hours, Miljana is defeated in all of the close combat challenges. However, she beat the Sergeant in speed and track courses through the woods just to the north of this area. And even if she lost in the melee, she certainly fights with a lot of skill.

Currently, Miljana is on the ground, breathing heavily as she has dropped her weapons in surrender. Her body aches somewhat after the beating she just underwent, but her fighting spirit is far from broken. She simply realizes she can’t win.  
Devona holsters her weapons as she watches the ranger and inclines her head.  
“You know, while you can use a bit of practice with the sword and shield, I have to say that I’m impressed. I’ve helped train a few recruits in the past, and you’re the best I’ve seen from someone new to the military.”

Miljana smirks at the praise and looks up, shrugging at the much taller woman.  
“What can I say? I’m quite amazing, that’s all.”

Devona raises a brow doubtfully, but also with a tad bit of amusement.  
“Don’t get cocky, now. You’re good, but I still said you need practice.”

“Of course, you’d say that! You’re a professional. There’s no way I’d be able to beat you on my first try anyway.”

“Or second, third, fourth…”

“Yeah, yeah, stop bragging!”

Devona actually starts smiling a bit while Miljana tosses her wooden blade at the Sergeant, which is easily avoided, of course.  
“Just don’t want you to think you’re unbeatable, that’s all.”

“But you have to agree that I’m better than the rest, right?”

Lifting her gaze, Devona looks out towards the training grounds again, where the other recruits are sparring with another Sergeant right now, one of the few left in this area.  
“Yeah, I’ll give you that. Your speed and dexterity is impressive, and your accuracy with a bow is far better than any recruit I’ve ever handled. Don’t think I was even that good after several months of training.”

Miljana smiles and shrugs slightly.  
“Well, the army isn’t the only group who trains people in martial skills, you know. We Vlasics rely on our archery skills to survive, and my parents have always believed that you have to get a certain amount of practice with a blade too, just in case things go poorly from range.”

Devona watches her once more and nods in appreciation.  
“Your parents have the right attitude and they’ve trained you well. In fact, I’d probably say you’re too good to be assigned to this emergency militia.”

This raises Miljana’s interest even further and she tilts her head somewhat.  
“Oh? You got a suggestion where I should go instead?”

Devona leans down and offers a hand for the ranger, which Miljana takes, allowing the stronger woman to pull her up.  
“Yeah, I do. What would you say if I told you to skip these basic tests and instead come with me into the field? I have to help train these people for a short while, but there are many tasks to do within our borders south of the Wall. The increased grawl activity, beasts running wild when troops have been reassigned and other problems that require a steady hand.  
I wouldn’t mind a little help with these things and the Vanguard could certainly use a skilled archer, as we have so few soldiers down here.”

This brings a smile to Miljana’s lips and she shifts their grip somewhat, so it turns into a handshake instead.  
“If you were looking for a helping hand, Sergeant, you’ve just found one. If we happen to stumble into an opportunity to strike a few charr down too, I would be more than happy to put an arrow into each of their chests.”

Devona is amused by the apparent ferocity of her, but she smiles regardless.  
“I’ll see what I can do, recruit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _As you might've noticed, if you know anything about Devona from the game, I made her somewhat different from her canon appearance. I simply enjoy the idea of a taller and more physically fit version of her and that's how she's going to be in this and future stories._


	4. From where one roams

As the sun is closing in on the edge of the horizon and while listening to the sparkling noise of a campfire nearby, Devona takes a seat upon the grass beneath her and begins to unstrap her boots as well as her leggings. It’s been several long days in the past few weeks and she’s beginning to feel a little bit of strain. As she is one of the last soldiers helping to defend the south, while most of the army is trying to keep the charr away from the city, it has forced her and the others to work as hard as they’re able, to keep the citizens safe and secure. While the charr pose a significant threat, there are others – grawl, skale, drakes; Mists take her, she has even heard that spirits have begun to rise down in the catacombs close to Ashford Abbey. Feels like the very fabric of the world is somehow tearing itself apart around them and it can be quite overwhelming.

Devona has put the head of her large black steel warhammer on the ground and rests one foot at its edge. Her father’s hammer, the weapon he wielded during the last Guild War, has been with her ever since it was delivered to the family after his death. It’s hard to think back on those times and how he left a hole within her chest which remains difficult to fill, but even so, the weapon tends to provide her with a large amount of mental strength. If the road is long and hard, if a coming battle brings her anxiety or if she struggles with a task she must complete, she can always turn to it and somehow find some kind of ease for her heart. She doesn’t know why, but in her mind, she can’t stop believing that her father’s soul somehow rests within the weapon and constantly watches over her. Truth or not, it brings her comfort.

She doesn’t need to wait in silence for much longer, however, as she sees how her current companion comes walking over with two wooden bowls and spoons, one which is offered to her. Devona momentarily stops caring for her armor and takes it gratefully.  
“Oh, thank you. What is it?”

Miljana pushes her cloak aside a bit and drops herself to the ground, crossing her legs and provides a slight smile as she moves the spoon around her meal.  
“Just some hog stew. Some villagers in Green Hills handed some preserved meat to me when we last visited to take care of those bandits. Traded for some vegetables in Ashford as well, so we could have something nice for dinner.”

Devona’s stomach growls at the smell from the bowl in her hands and her nose seems rather thankful too.  
“Either I’m imagining it or you’ve got some spices in here too.”

The ranger watches Nakota further away, munching on a piece of rabbit that they caught two days ago, before regarding her companion again.  
“Yup. Mostly herb blends that my clan trades with a village to the southwest. I always try to bring some wherever I go. Helps to make most meals a bit tastier.”

Taking a spoonful into her mouth, Devona quickly realizes that she made the right choice by bringing Miljana with her.  
“Wow, this is…really good. I didn’t know you had cooking skills.”

“Well, tends to be useful whenever we have to prepare something by one of our outposts in the Valley.  
Oh yeah, try to swallow your food before you talk, by the way.”

She winks as Devona gives her a half-closed and annoyed gaze. A habit she still hasn’t gotten past, which seems to amuse the ranger as well.  
“You’re not my mother.”

“Maybe not, but seems like she didn’t do a very good job in the first place.”

Devona scowls and points her spoon in Miljana’s direction.  
“Hey, don’t talk about my mother like that! She has excellent manners, I’ll have you know.”

This brings a small grin to the ranger’s lips.  
“Really? You probably should’ve listened to her a lot more then.”

Devona rolls her eyes and almost considers scolding her for trying to speak that way to her superior, but who really cares at this point? They’ve spent a few weeks together and most of that time it has only been the two of them. She has grown accustomed to Miljana’s rather playful attitude and it actually helps to make her feel somewhat more comfortable.  
“Well, guess I haven’t had all that much use for it in the military. Maybe manners are more important in Elona than here.”

Miljana arches a doubtful brow at the comment.  
“Uh, maybe? I wouldn’t know.”

Both of them look kinda confused for a moment, as Devona tries to work out if she made some sort of mistake.  
“Oh, sorry. You’re not from Elona? I just…uh, assumed, I guess.”

The ranger eats some of her stew, but keeps a smile on her lips to reassure the Sergeant that she took no offense. After she has swallowed, she shakes her head.  
“Nope, I’m not. My clan hasn’t been that far south for the last, like, 200 years.”

“…really? Shit.”  
Devona sighs and lifts a hand to scratch her forehead, feeling very embarrassed at this mistake.  
“I’m really sorry. I’m originally from the northwest, so I don’t know much about the history of people down here.”

Miljana chuckles gently in an attempt to defuse the situation.  
“Don’t worry about it, I understand why you may be confused. You are somewhat correct, though - my clan originated from Elona, but we’ve been around for so long that we’ve not considered ourselves as anything else than Ascalonians for generations. Most around these parts feel the same.”

She’s thankful for Miljana’s understanding and inclines her head, taking some interest in the recruit’s story. As they’ve mostly focused on their tasks, plans, movements and how to deal with their dwindling situation, they haven’t had much time for personal conversations.  
“I see. Do you have some sort of clan annals or something?”

“We do, yes. There’s usually one or two recordkeepers who take care of it and log most of our annual dealings and significant events.”

“All the way back since you arrived? 200 years is quite a long time ago.”

“Well, it all started because they feared what might happen to them back then.”  
They both take a few more bites to satisfy their hunger before Miljana continues.  
“Clan Vlasic is originally from Vabbi, the northernmost province of Elona. I’m not sure when it was created or how, as we don’t have records from that far back, but what I do know is that we had operated in a hunting community, similar to what we have here in Ascalon, for quite some time.  
Our annals mention how there were many dangerous beasts in those territories, and we both hunted them as well as helped nearby settlements. We sold pelts and other animal parts to the cities, and survived through working together with these people.  
Unfortunately, Palawa Joko chased my clan out from their initial hunting grounds when he invaded.”

Devona blinks, trying to search her memory. Should she recall that kind of name?  
“Uh, Pala-who? I don’t think I’ve heard that name before.”

Miljana smirks slightly.  
“Don’t study a lot of history, do you?”

“Not…particularly. Not Elonian, anyway.”

“Well, I guess they wouldn’t mention that outside of any academies.  
Palawa Joko was an undead lich lord, a powerful necromancer. He came from the deep deserts to the northwest with an army he had raised and brought down much of Elona. To many, he is now known as the ‘Scourge of Vabbi’.”

“Huh. With that kind of title, I’m guessing he wasn’t a very nice fella.”

“Not the best example for undead, no. Anyhow, as his army endangered Vabbi citizens everywhere, my clan saw no other option than to quickly leave their hunting grounds to save themselves. A few stayed to join the fight, but most relocated to the south.  
For a few years, they travelled around Istan and Kourna, effectively becoming nomads.”

“What made them decide to come here then?”

Miljana puts down her bowl and lifts up a water skin from her bag to quench her thirst as well.  
“The thought of leaving Elona wasn’t really an immediate one, but they weren’t sure what to do at that point. Even as the undead were defeated, there weren’t many people who were welcoming to new settlers.  
It wasn’t until they visited the Istani capital and met with Ascalonian adventurers that they considered travelling north. The adventurers spoke of their lush homelands and as it was mentioned how much space you had up here, they decided it might be worth it.”

The only thing Devona knows of Elona is that it’s supposedly a lot warmer than up here, filled with sand and proud warriors. She hasn’t really had a lot of opportunity to study other nations and cultures, even if she would wish to.  
“How many were they at that point?”

“We aren’t exactly sure, but we believe somewhere between 40 and 60 people. The records describe it as ‘a few dozen’, so we’ve had to guess and look through names of families and such.”

“And they all just…sailed north?”

“Yup. Tried to pay for spots on some of the biggest and most accessible ships, which would be sailing that way. I’ve heard that their journey was kinda harsh, as most had never been on a boat for that long. They also had to go past Orr, which must’ve been…an experience back then.  
It took quite a while, but eventually they arrived in southern Ascalon.”

Devona watches how Nakota has stopped eating her meal and instead relocates to a spot in between the two ladies and goes for a nap.  
“How was the reception of the Ascalonians at the time?”

“Well, as you might imagine, quite skeptical. They didn’t mind people immigrating per se, but the clan was still similar in size to some of their smaller villages. On top of that, the best hunting grounds would’ve been Regent Valley and the forests there are sacred.”

“That’s true. King’s Watch, right? Where every new King or Queen is crowned?”

“Precisely. So, a bunch of Elonians wanting to settle? Not exactly the most favorable idea to them.  
However, during the first few months, my clan were eager to display their prowess and took every opportunity. As the Valley is huge and many beasts and dangers roam around it, the government in Ascalon City eventually saw the benefit of having some permanent defenders and hunters.  
Originally, they were just allowed to settle on the outskirts, but a few decades later, my clan signed a deal with the Crown to act as guardians of the forest, to protect both the interior and citizens living nearby.”

Devona smiles, finding it interesting how they could go from outsiders to being expected to protect the people of the land.  
“I heard someone in the abbey mention something about ‘Melandru’s blessed in Regent Valley’. I guess that’s what he meant?”

Miljana looks kinda amused for a moment before she shrugs.  
“I’ve heard the tales, but we tend not to think too much about it.”

“Don’t you pray to Melandru, though?”

“Of course we do, but we’ve never felt that we are somehow more favored by her than any other denizens of the woods.”

“Hey, you gotta take what you can get, right?”  
Devona has a few more pieces of the stew, trying to get as much as possible before it goes cold. There is one more thing she’s wondering about, though.  
“Your clan is bigger now than when you arrived, isn't it? At least, that’s what it looked like when I last visited.”

Miljana inclines her head slightly.  
“Well, yes, but not hugely so. We keep our families pretty manageable and some people also choose to leave the clan to travel elsewhere. I think the largest numbers have probably come from other Ascalonians who have decided to join us.”

“Oh, you accept anyone?”

“Anyone who’s willing to prove themselves and follow our customs and beliefs, yes.”

Devona nods in appreciation.  
“Sounds like a nice community. I understand why they’re not very eager to leave.”

For a moment, Miljana looks distant.  
“Perhaps, but things are changing. I’ve told my father many times that we can’t ignore the charr’s invasion. It’s becoming far too dangerous, which we’ve easily been able to see with how few soldiers are stationed down in this region now. What will our protection for the woods matter, if Ascalon burns around us?”

Devona regards her with some sympathy, knowing it’s not easy for any of them with what’s happening to their nation right now.  
She leaves her spoon in the bowl and leans over to gently pat Miljana’s shoulder.  
“Don’t worry, I’m sure it will be fine. Things may look bad up in the north, but we’ve still got the wall. I’m certain that your clan will soon realize that they’re needed and together, we’ll push the charr back.”


	5. Sealed frienship

The sight of the tall stone towers and the rigid walls can be observed even from this distance, and the noise of people follows the same principle. It makes Miljana feel just a little bit of trepidation, but it’s something she knows will eventually subside when they’ve entered. She hasn’t been to Ascalon City in a while, but she’s glad to see that it hasn’t been affected much by the charr’s invasion. Or, at the very least, the people don’t seem to be, as they’re still focusing on their lives, instead of the horrors that await across the Great Northern Wall. Such attitudes may be foolish to some, but she sees it as a testament to Ascalonian courage, to not let fear grow among them. Then again, a lot of them are probably used to lengthy wartimes, seeing how long the last Guild War kept going.

The last week has been rather hectic for Devona and Miljana, with increased grawl activity, even further lessened troops in the south and a lot more reports of trouble from the different villages across the land. This has led to two positive outcomes, however – clan Vlasic has agreed to expand the area of their patrolling routes, in order to help out the dwindling troops, and most of all, Miljana has now officially joined the Ascalon Vanguard, being assigned the rank of Private. Sure, she’s at the bottom right now, but when she helps defeat the charr army, she’s certain they’ll make her General or something! Or maybe give her a medal, at least.

This is why they’ve come to the city, partially to celebrate, but also to possibly find recruits among the civilian populace. Even if the army itself don’t have enough troops down here, there are many who would have the ability to join. They hope to locate some of those in the next few days.  
On the way to the city, however, before they go past the gates, Miljana spots something else to the east. It’s a familiar figure, mostly thanks to the scarlet cape that rests behind her. The two soldiers are on the road, but Miljana suddenly stops, forcing the Sergeant to do the same.  
“Something wrong?”

“Over there. Isn’t that…Gwen?”

She lifts a hand to point out the little girl who sits alone on the ground by some sort of altar to the Five Gods that is placed here for travelers to stop by on their way out or in.  
Devona arches a brow in confusion.  
“…who?”

“Gwen Thackeray. You know, that girl I told you about? Who I helped in the Valley?”

Slowly, it dawns on the Sergeant and the inclines her head.  
“Ooh, the one the grawl kidnapped?”

“That’s the one.”

“Doesn’t she live in Ashford?”

“She does. I’m not sure what she’s doing here, though.”

They watch her from afar, and it appears that Gwen has yet to notice them. Oddly enough, the girl doesn’t seem very lively. It could possibly even be interpreted as if she’s quite sad at the moment.  
As Miljana looks kinda transfixed, Devona nudges her shoulder.  
“You wanna go say hello?”

Miljana twitches and looks up at her comrade, clearing her throat.  
“Uh, well, if you think we have the time for it. I’d want to see if she’s alright.”

Devona offers a smile.  
“Well, since we’re soldiers, it is our job to make sure that the citizens of Ascalon are safe and sound. Children are among the foremost of those we need to protect as well.”

With a similar expression, Miljana nods eagerly and they move towards the girl’s position. She calls out when they’re close enough.  
“Gwen!”

When hearing the familiar voice, Gwen looks up in surprise and her saddened appearance turns somewhat happier instead. She jumps to her feet just in time to face the Melandru's stalker who rushed ahead. Nakota purrs eagerly when she’s close to Gwen.  
“Miljana! Oh, and Nakota! It is good to see you.”

The girl giggles and pats Nakota, as the stalker proceeds to stroke itself eagerly against her.  
“Didn’t expect to see you here. Seems Nakota has missed you.”

“I missed her too! I’m glad she remembers me.”  
Soon enough, Gwen’s attention is turned towards the much taller woman right behind Miljana and she looks at her with interest.  
“Who are you?”

Miljana steps aside and gestures towards her companion.  
“Oh, sorry, forgot to introduce her. This is Sergeant Devona of the Ascalon Vanguard.”

Devona kneels down to get into a more manageable height for the girl, offering a hand and a smile.  
“Greetings, young lady.”

Gwen seems to appreciate the friendly gesture and takes the hand to shake.  
“Hello. I’m Gwen Thackeray.”

“Thackeray, eh? Is your mother’s name Sarah?”

“Yes! Do you know her?”

“Well, can’t say that I’m all too familiar with her, but I’ve done some tasks to help her shop in the past. She’s the alchemist of Ashford, right?”

Gwen smiles even more brightly and nods eagerly.  
“Yes! She’s very good, one of the best in Ascalon!”

Devona inclines her head, trying to appear as friendly as she can.  
“I don’t doubt it. She seems to know her stuff.”

They notice how Nakota has practically lied down and taken the opportunity to rest next to Gwen, which the girl seems to enjoy as she leans down to pat the big cat. For Miljana, there’s still something amiss, however.  
“So, what brings you to the city, Gwen? Is your mother here?”

The solemn expression returns and she shakes her head.  
“No…I’m here alone.”

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”  
Gwen bites her lower lip, gazing down at the ground, seeming like she doesn’t want to say it at first. Miljana moves her hand to gently stroke her shoulder, trying to comfort her.  
“Hey, it’s okay, you can tell me. If you’re in trouble, I’ll gladly bring you back home again.”

“I’m…not in trouble. Not like before.”

“What is it then? Did someone do something to you in the city?”  
The thought of someone bullying Gwen makes her kinda angry. She’s just a kid, after all, and a sweet one at that.

“No. Well, maybe. But, I’m mostly sad because no one will help me.”

Devona tilts her head.  
“Help you with what?”

She looks over towards the southwest.  
“I was out walking along the river and playing my flute, but when I was thinking about going for a swim, monsters came and chased after me. I ran and…”  
She emits a sad sigh.  
“I forgot my flute on the ground. I wanted to get it back, but the monsters wouldn’t leave.”  
Gwen turns her eyes to Miljana once more, finding the most safety in her.  
“I went to the city guard, but they said they didn’t have time to get a ‘stupid toy, when there are more important things to do.’ I just…I just want my flute back, that’s all.”

Miljana frowns somewhat as she glances in the direction of the river. It’s a little trek to get there, but shouldn’t be too much effort for a soldier to accomplish.  
“Monsters?”

Devona stands up and folds her arms.  
“If the latest reports are correct, I think skale were skulking around in that region. I suppose with the decreased patrols, they may have gotten brave and approached our settlements even further.”

The Sergeant watches as Miljana’s eyes seem to intensify in the direction of the flute and while she knows what’s coming, it is amusing to see the ranger hesitate with the question, while fidgeting with the hem of her cloak.  
“Devona, I…I know we have important stuff to do in the city, but this wouldn’t take too long. Could we…?”

She can’t help but chuckle at the gradual and reluctant way of the request, as well as the absence of using rank. Then again, they haven’t been particularly formal when speaking to one another at all so far. She smiles and shrugs slightly.  
“Sure, why not?”

This seems to make Miljana happy and she grabs her bow in preparation.  
“Don’t worry, Gwen, we’ll find your flute and bring it back to you.”  


* * *

  
Despite saying that they’d take care of it for her, the girl insisted that she should be allow to join and together, they chase down the skale around the area where the instrument should’ve been left. Thankfully, they don’t need to kill all of the creatures. Once two of them fall, the rest immediately retreat back across the river to the south and disappear into the forest. After that, the human trio and Nakota search for the flute and it is the stalker who eventually finds it.  
Unfortunately, they get even more bad news as they see how the wooden item has been broken almost in half. It seems probable that the skale did so either out of curiosity, or simply stepped on it when walking by.

“Oh no…”  
Gwen takes it into her slightly shaking hands and emits a sorrow-filled sigh.  
“This…this was my only one. Daddy gave it to me before he left for his adventures long ago…”

She holds it in her hands, cradling it slightly as her shoulders slump. Nakota understands her emotional state and tries to push her head gently against the girl to comfort her, but it doesn’t help much.  
Devona puts her somewhat bloodied hammer to the ground and kneels down again.  
“I’m sorry, Gwen. I wish we could’ve gotten here sooner.”

“No, it’s okay. You did your best. Thank you for trying to help…”

They give her credit for at least remaining strong in some way, because she isn’t crying. However, as Devona looks up towards Miljana, who is standing not too far away, she sees how the ranger has a hardened expression on her face with a faint scowl.  
“Miljana?”

The ranger shifts her eyes to meet with Devona’s, and it’s clear that she likely can’t stand to see the girl sad like this, especially after being treated so poorly by the guards too.  
“Gwen.”

The girl faces her as well.  
“Yes?”

“Come with us. We’re going back to the city.”

“Why?”

She gestures with her hand, but she has already begun walking.  
“You’ll like it, trust me.”

Devona and Gwen shares a look of confusion when seeing her sudden resolve. Devona stands up and rests her hammer over her shoulder.  
“Uh, Miljana? What are we going to do?”

“You’ll see.”  


* * *

  
Later on, two of the women and Nakota are all waiting in the city, while Miljana is visiting some kind of shop. Seems to be a woodcrafter’s store, which somewhat intrigues Devona at least. She sort of realizes what may be going on, but she wonders if this will really help. Wasn’t the last one a special gift from Gwen's father, who’s now gone?

Nevertheless, when the ranger exits the shop, she looks rather satisfied. She keeps her arms behind her back as she approaches the three, but her sight is set on Gwen. The little girl looks curiously at her, but doesn’t quite seem to know what’s going on. When she’s close enough, Miljana kneels down and tilts her head.  
“Close your eyes, Gwen and show me your hands.”

The little girl looks very intrigued and not sure what’s going to happen, but she does as she’s told. Seconds later, Devona sees how Miljana lifts out a much more polished and neatly crafted flute, likely more expensive than the one Gwen had before. It’s not for sure if it’ll help, but it is something.  
When she feels the object in her hands, the girl’s eyes shoot open and she gasps, clearly shocked at what she sees.  
“You…you bought me a new flute?!”

“Mhm. I don’t know much about instruments, so I tried to get the prettiest one.”

Gwen almost seems lost for words as she holds the piece, stroking her fingers across the smooth surface.  
“But…but why? We aren’t family.”

Miljana tilts her head back and forth in consideration.  
“Eh, true, I suppose. But we’re friends, right? Besides, times are tough right now and everyone deserves a little bit of happiness, you in particular.”

After watching Miljana for a few seconds, she suddenly appears delighted and throws herself forward to hug the ranger. Miljana begins to laugh and Devona smiles at the scene of the two embracing one another.  
Shortly after, Gwen leans backwards and suddenly looks unsure.  
“But, is this fair? I don’t have anything for you.”

Miljana looks surprised, raising her eyebrow questioningly.  
“I don’t see what’s unfair with it. It’s a gift, after all, not a trade.”

“No, my mommy says that if a nice person hands you a gift, you should always give something back too.”

They wonder about this way of thinking, and perhaps if Sarah might’ve meant to return the favor at a later date, but it’s difficult to argue with a young girl.  
“Well uh, I suppose that’s reasonable. You don’t have to give it to me right now, though. I understand if you don’t-“

“But I want to! Hmm…”  
Gwen seems to think on it, wondering what she should do, when her eyes brighten in realization. She leans her hands to her shoulders and unfastens her scarlet cape, before giving it to Miljana.  
“You can take my cape! Mommy made it for me, but she won’t mind. You gave me this flute and she will be very happy about that!”

Miljana is far from ungrateful at the gesture, but feels bad about taking another family treasure.  
“Are you sure? I don’t want to take something precious from you.”

“Yes! Please take it. I want you to have a gift too.”

She considers protesting, but Gwen seems really adamant that she must have it, and therefore, Miljana gives in with a sigh. The material is very smooth to the touch and the design is quite neat as well, likely made by Sarah herself. She smiles at Gwen and bows her head.  
“Thank you for this fine gift, miss Thackeray.”

While she stands up, Devona seems somewhat amused.  
“A bit short, isn’t it?”

“Tsk, for my back, maybe.”  
She folds it just a little bit and strokes it around her waist.  
“But it works pretty well as a sash.”

Gwen appears happy that Miljana likes the gift, despite not being used as it was intended.  
“It looks very good on you!”

“Thanks. Now, is there a chance that we’ll get to hear a little tune?”

For the next hour or so, they spend it with Gwen and listens to her playing her new instrument. It is enough to impress both soldiers and some of the citizens in the area as well, helping to soothe some of the tension that still ails the populace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Two things:_   
>  _1) Yes, I know that the item given to the player is technically called "tapestry shred", but I felt it was more reasonable for her to keep it intact and give the whole cape. It was more suitable as a gift then, and nicer for later events._   
>  _2) Yeah, I also know that Gwen isn't the one named Thackeray, but I'm scrapping Keiran from the story and letting Gwen be the one with that surname._


	6. Clouds of fire

The sound of marching can be heard all around Miljana, as she walks at the side of Devona and a few more Ascalon Vanguard soldiers. She tries to steady her breathing and focus on what to say fro the initial greeting, but her mind falters somewhat. This just wasn’t what she had expected and now she feels far too unprepared. In the meantime, Devona watches her and does her best to calm her friend down with a gentle smile. Doesn’t help much, but at least Devona finds it kind of amusing. She has told Miljana that there’s no point in being nervous, but it doesn’t seem like she’s listening.

As they exit a building and wander towards the field of grass outside, they can see him standing there. The red cloak with the sword emblem of Ascalon in gold, armor almost shimmering in the same golden color beneath the light of the sun, and a flaming blade sheathed at his waist. As they approach, he turns around and offers a proud smile to the approaching group of soldiers, no more than a squad.

“Sergeant Devona, it is good to see you again.”

Devona and the rest of the troops stop not far from him and salute.  
“My Prince, it is an honor, as always.”

He looks amused, and inclines his head.  
“I think the honor is mine, to be in the company of such fine soldiers. Please, at ease.”  
Prince Rurik isn’t alone, of course, as he is in the company of one of his highest military officers, the knighted Sir Tydus. The officer has already seen quite a bit of combat against the charr it would seem, judging by his scars. At this time, however, both of their eyes are turned towards Miljana.  
“Ah, and this must be your latest recruit, yes?”

Devona and the others calm themselves somewhat, with the Sergeant putting her arms behind her back and then looking to the ranger.  
“Indeed she is, Your Highness. Please, let me introduce Private Miljana Vlasic.”

Miljana is still a little bit tense and when Rurik approaches her, she gets down to kneel for him, while lowering her head.  
“My Prince, it is a great pleasure to finally see you. You have always been held in high esteem by my clan.”

He continues to smile, but finds himself somewhat uncomfortable with such acts of reverence.  
“But can you really see me from down there, Private? Please, stand and let me greet you as a fellow soldier.”  
She clears her throat and then does as he asks of her, looking a bit sheepish. He offers her a hand, and after moment of surprise, she takes and shakes it.  
“Ah, quite a firm grip you have, Private. I suppose I should’ve expected it from all the reports I’ve received regarding your prowess in the field. Wouldn’t you agree, Sir Tydus?”

The older and more grizzled man at his side nods in agreement.  
“I do, Your Highness. Sergeant Devona and Lieutenant Langmar have both been very impressed by your exemplary service to Ascalon.”

Miljana bows her head to them.  
“Your Highness, sir, I’m honored by such praise, but I’m not sure I am truly worthy of it.”

Rurik’s smile widens as he puts his hands at his hips.  
“Nonsense! You have performed extremely well, although I suppose that shouldn’t be such a surprise. I have much respect for your clan’s work in Regent Valley. My own father could not have had such a calm and orderly coronation if it were not for clan Vlasic, on top of the fact that your work makes Ascalonians in its vicinity feel safe. I thank you for that.”

“We do our best to perform our duty for Ascalon, as we always have, my Prince.”

“And you should be commended for it. If you happen to see your father any time soon after today, I’d be grateful if you thank him for me. I still recall my last visit, even if it was brief. He was great company back then.”

“Of course, Your Highness. I’m sure he’ll be very glad to hear you feel that way.”

A moment after that, the Prince’s attention is diverted to the furry creature seated beside her.  
“Ooh, and this must be your animal companion I’ve heard about.”

He kneels down, removes a gauntlet and offers his hand towards Nakota. The feline reaches out with her nose and sniffs him. After a few moments, she strokes her head towards it, seemingly pleased with his scent. This brings another smile to his lips and he pats her, scratching her ear slightly as well. Miljana is glad to see the reaction as well.  
“Yes, this is my good friend Nakota. She has been with me for a few years now.”

“She seems like a fine partner to have. I’m sure she’s a great warrior in her own right. The stalkers are noble beasts, as one might expect for beings blessed by Melandru, and I have great respect for them.”

“They have always been one of my clan’s closest friends and companions. We share an interest in hunting, after all.”

Rurik nods, rises once more and then takes a few steps away, to stand more in front of the entire squad, with Tydus at his side.  
“It is exactly because of your great skill that I have invited you to this vital mission.”

Devona takes over the conversation from here.  
“I’ve mentioned the mission to my squad, but I’ve yet to be able to brief them on the details.”

“Indeed, this was out of a necessary precaution. We had to keep such things secret until it was time to strike.  
Sergeant Devona, Private Vlasic, do you both recall the charr you spotted a few weeks back among the grawl?”

Devona and Miljana shares a quick look, knowing what he’s talking about.  
“The one who escaped? Yes, we remember him. We figured he was the instigator of the increased hostilities of the grawl against us.”

“You were correct, of course, and we’ve now been able to identify him. He is known as Vatlaaw Doomtooth, a charr spy who has been leading the infiltration efforts beyond the Great Northern Wall. We’ve also been able find his hidden location, which is to the south of our current position, in one of the caves within the forest.”

Yet again, they feel a bit surprised. They’re currently outside of Ascalon Academy, the most major military institution in the country, which is located very close to Ascalon City. In fact, the lake is the only thing that separates this part of the southern region from where their largest city is. It’s very unsettling to think that they’d be nestled so close to such a major population center.  
“What is the plan, Your Highness? How big are their numbers?”

Devona always moves straight to the point, and Rurik seems thankful for that.  
“They should have no more than a squad of their own, as too many charr would be too easily noticeable, I assume. Our goal is as simple as you might imagine – hunt them down and destroy this threat against Ascalon’s safety. On top of this, I would prefer that we locate any possible information regarding their future plans and movements.  
Vatlaaw himself is a very skilled archer with a keen eye. Watch out for his attacks.”

Miljana suddenly smirks a little bit, feeling slightly energized.  
“I hope to prove that I’m more than his match in accuracy and speed, my Prince.”

“As do I. In fact, I have full confidence in all of you, which is why I’m coming with you on this mission.”

Devona widens her eyes.  
“M-my prince…are you sure of this? It sounds like a very dangerous mission and-“

“And that is precisely why you’ll need me. I fought in the end of the Guild War, just like you, Sergeant, and I’ve seen some of the frontlines against the charr. Besides, I wish to help the charr fear the power of Sohothin.”

He leans his hand down and pats the hilt of his burning blade. Despite its appearance, it does not seem to hurt the Prince at all. They all know that it is an ancient magical blade, together with its sister sword, Magdaer, which is wielded by the King.  
Devona lowers her head in a sign of respect.  
“If that is your wish, my Prince, I would never stand against it.”

“Good, then prepare yourselves, for we march out within the hour. Let us purge this sickness from our lands and then continue across the wall to help push the charr away from Ascalon.”

* * *

  
The Vanguard squad moves through their lands, towards the hills and caverns to the southwest. When they do, they soon realize that they underestimated the charr’s numbers, and it seems like the felines have got closer to two or even three squads of soldiers, by human estimates. However, because they were unaware of that their location had been compromised, the Vanguard gets a great advantage through an ambush, and kills several from the first group before any retaliation can be staged.  
During that initial fight, Miljana’s shots together with an elementalist’s fire magic, proves to be very devastating for the charr. Devona is of course at the front, bashing the skulls of her closest opponents.

As this is Miljana’s first proper battle against larger groups of charr, she’s somewhat nervous, but no one can really complain about the results, as charr bodies stack up. On top of this, she feels as if their feline opponents may be underestimating some of the female members of the group, which is quite a fatal flaw when they face Devona. Her strength and height is enough to outmatch anyone in their current team.

While they fight their way towards the cave system, they find out that there are quite a few crates and such stacked inside, seemingly being proof of where the charr have been gathering their equipment and supplies. The group also comes to realize that they’ve now pinned the charr down, seeing as how there’s no other proper way to leave except to go through the Ascalonians.

When they make their way to the last cave room, they find only darkness and abandoned crates at first, which surprises the humans. That is until an arrow is launched from deeper inside the cave, and plants itself in the chest of one of their soldiers. Rurik frowns and throws himself in beneath some of the closest crates.  
“They’re hidden among their supplies! Take cover!”

The last charr squad break themselves free and try their best to stage an ambush on the humans, who are now brought into a much fiercer fight than previously. The charr are not only naturally larger and stronger, but also rather crafty creatures. That said, at least Miljana would like to claim that humans are faster and probably better trained, from the look of things.

During the fight, Vatlaaw proves to be the toughest opponent, not only because of his archery skill, but because he knows how to creep around and appear when people least expect it. Miljana mirrors his movements and tries her best to locate him. When an arrow strikes the cave wall very close to her, she realizes that he has noticed what she’s doing and she tries to adjust accordingly, which forces her to remain behind cover even more.

After a few minutes have passed, and the humans appear to be winning, Miljana pokes her head up over a crate, now that no shots have been flying against her for a while. That’s when she spots Vatlaaw moving to an elevated position further to the east. From that location, she can see how there’s a hole out of the cave system, but likely not a way down. If there was, they’d probably have escaped by now.  
The light which shines through the hole illuminates Vatlaaw slightly, making her see his red-brown fur, sharp twisted fangs and huge four horns. He may be a feline creature like Nakota, but definitely not a graceful sight in the same way she is.

Before she does anything, she sees that Vatlaaw is preparing another arrow, and she gets ready to hide once more, but realizes that he’s not aiming at her. In fact, it’s not even in her direction that he’s looking. When she follows his sight, she sees to her dismay that he’s going straight for the Prince. What would be the most effective action in their fight against the humans, to destroy their morale? To kill one of their leaders and most stout defenders, of course. Miljana grits her teeth, knowing she can’t allow this to happen.

She swiftly jumps up on one of the crates, making her a dangerously obvious target for any charr on the ground, but she doesn’t care. As quickly as she can, she puts an arrow up and launches it. Because of how hurried it is, it’s not exactly accurate. Instead, it pierces a shoulder, which is far from the killing shot she hoped for. However, it is enough to save the Prince, as Vatlaaw’s own arrow goes wide. It is enough for even Rurik to see it, looking astonished at how closely he was to getting shot in the face.

The mix of pain and rage turns towards Miljana and in response to this expression, she merely smirks and prepares another shot. He could try to do the same, but knows how foolish this is when he’s already injured. He desperately tries to get behind cover, but another arrow - this one far better aimed - pierces his leg. He stumbles to the ground, being forced to crawl. One last shot hits his throat, and he crumbles.

The loss of their leader brings down the rest of the charr as well, but Miljana ignores them as she rushes up to ensure that her kill won’t do anything with the last bits of his life. She grabs the short sword from her belt, just in case.  
When she stands above him, seeing the blood running down across his arms and chest, he looks up at her in contempt. Strangely enough, this soon turns into amusement. The words he emits sound strange to her, even as they’re spoken in her language. His voice is deep, rugged and almost like a growl.  
“You…you think you’ve won?” He coughs in pain. “Our mission was a success, human. You…have failed. Congratulations…you will watch your world burn.”

She watches, with some small relief, how life slips out of his eyes and his body stops moving entirely. Moments later, Rurik approaches her location, with Sohothin still in his hand and Devona in tow. He pats her shoulder.  
“Private, that was an amazing show of skill. Your attack saved me. I owe you my life.”

Trying to ignore her worry for a moment, she bows her head in respect.  
“I am glad to have served, my Prince.”

Rurik regards the dead charr in thought, sighing slightly.  
“So this is him, huh? Quite a large fellow, although not like the rest. Did he say anything?”

Her concern returns, especially upon her expression.  
“He did indeed. Somehow, he claimed that his mission was a success despite his death. Told me that I’d get to ‘watch your world burn’.”

Rurik frowns in thought, while Devona places her hammer on the ground.  
“Well, that…sounds ominous", says the warrior.

The Prince nods in agreement.  
“It sure does, but I don’t know what it means. Is there anything on his body?”

Miljana leans down towards the corpse and starts checking the pockets.  
“I’m not certain, but you think he might have had something else up his sleeve?”

“Perhaps, or it could merely have been a threat to unnerve us. Might be simple superstition.  
Nevertheless, let’s make sure. Sergeant, you and your remaining soldiers should quickly check all the supplies and the other bodies. If you find anything out of the ordinary, bring it to me.”

Devona salutes.  
“Yes, Your Highness! Vanguard, you heard the Prince. Let’s get to it.”

Several minutes go by as they frantically look through everything that the cave has to offer, but except the stench of death, simple food supplies and crates of weaponry - likely for the grawl - there is nothing that would make them believe that anything is wrong here.  
That is, until Miljana locates a small box behind some crates further inside the cave. It’s been haphazardly hidden, likely being too late when the humans charged in. Currently, it’s locked, but she manages to bash open the rather frail metal lock. Inside, she finds a very small glowing white crystal.  
“Prince Rurik! Look at this.”

Rurik and the others all turn to her and approaches her location. A frown forms on his face as she offers it to him. It is somewhat warm to the touch and glowing, but other than that, there’s nothing odd they can see with it.  
“Hmm, I don’t really know what this is. You, Corporal, can you tell me anything further?”

The Corporal, their elementalist, gets the crystal given to him and tries to turn around it in his hands.  
“There’s an obvious magical presence to this object, but it’s rather weak. Could be that it was used for long-distance communication or…possibly as a beacon.”

“Beacon? To what?”

“I…I wouldn’t know, Your Highness. It might be that the charr-“

Before he can finish his sentence, from the hole in the wall, they can hear a very loud distant noise - an explosion. They don’t know from how far away it’s coming, but such a sound brings alarm to them regardless of the distance.  
They rush up to the hole, trying to get a better view. Further away, they can see the glittering gem that is Ascalon City, standing close to the wall as always. However, to their growing concern, they’re sure they can see smoke near to its borders. Moments after that, they can spot an eruption of fire and the noise of yet another explosion. And it does not stop there.

Bright lights seem to rain down over the wall, crashing down both close to and past it, right into the middle of the city, creating explosion after explosion.  
“No…this can’t be happening…”

To their great horror, they realize that their city is being torn apart by fierce and powerful magic, as fire rains down from the sky.  
It is on this day that they come to understand that not even their Great Northern Wall can bring them safety any longer.


	7. To those who fall

_1072 AE - Remnants of Ascalon City, Old Ascalon_

It’s a cloudy morning as Devona makes her way towards the outskirts of the broken settlement, her hammer holstered at her back and she fastens her metal bracers on the way. They have, just like most of her armor, seen a lot of action through the last two years and remain somewhat worn. Not too much to actually stop using them though. Having a functional armor is a commodity at this point and she rarely throws anything away unless it’s definitely broken. Mists, it’s almost better to try get it fixed rather than asking for a new pair. The latter can really only be gained from looting, something that she is still quite uncomfortable with.

On her way through the old capital, she walks past many tents and shelters, as well as people either huddling inside of them, speaking or trading with one another, or just generally watching the area around them, as they have little else to do. Some of these people have probably arrived not too long ago, seeing as how they still get the occasional refugees who fled from their enemies elsewhere in this shattered land. Some of them watch her, either in apathy or with pleading eyes, but they know just as much as she does that she can’t really do anything for them. She’s just a soldier and all she can really offer is protection. At least for now.

When she finally reaches the outskirts, past the many broken old building blocks and ruins of a once great city, the barren land to the south of her location is as dreary as ever. She does occasionally still think back to the days when she could remember seeing greenery for miles, but those images are slowly fading from her memory. And even with the horrid reality she is stuck inside, the most grievous offense is likely the crystals. The giant inactive - albeit somehow still shining - crystalline objects that were used to bring forth what the people now call ‘The Searing’, remain intact. Devona dearly wishes for them to at least remove these horrendous objects of mass slaughter, but they really don’t have the resources for it. Simply smacking them around would likely be too dangerous and might unleash dormant magic left inside, and what little magical resources they have cannot be wasted on simple cleanup. It has to be utilized against their enemies, who seem completely focused on continuing to invade their land and take everything that was once human.

She tries her best to forget all this while she approaches a specific area in the outskirts, where she spots a few Vanguard soldiers. They’re quite low rank, probably some of those who joined fairly recently. They also appear surprised at Devona’s arrival and quickly salute her.  
“C-Captain! We uh, we didn’t know you were coming. What can we do for you?”

Devona remains calm and merely inclines her head.  
“At ease. I’m looking for Sergeant Vlasic.”

The two soldiers glance at one another where they’re positioned. It’s likely that they were simply chatting away before Devona arrives.  
“Well, she’s uh…she’s by the graves again, ma’am.”

Turning her attention somewhat to the southeast, past the soldiers, she does finally notice a familiar sight – a purple cloak resting on the back of someone sitting on the ground.  
Afterwards, she nods at them.  
“Very well, I’ll go talk to her. You’re both dismissed.”

The graveyard that she walks towards is not a new one, but merely one of the few locations that at least partially survived. A few civilians have taken it upon themselves to sometimes help make new and more simplistic stones for as many dead as they possibly can, but there are just too many to have them all placed here.  
However, the graves that Miljana sits by are ones she has personally helped create, even if they are quite crude as well. It doesn’t seem to matter to her, as she just wants something to remember people by.  
The memorials at her side all share at least one common thing – the Vlasic name. Many members of clan Vlasic perished during the Searing and afterwards, trying to fight off the charr. They took down many of the felines before they fell, but that is hardly a consolation when so little of the clan yet remains. Those who survive and persevere are elsewhere, including her parents. Not part of the Vanguard, but helping out Ascalonians in their own way, by remote locations. They act as scouts and protectors, so that not everyone has to gather in the capital.

Despite what one might expect that she would be seated by, however, Miljana’s attention is currently on another grave. It belongs to an individual that does not share her name.  
It’s always disheartening for Devona to watch her friend sitting in front of Gwen’s stone. They may not have known each other for long, but after all the tragedy they have endured, she couldn’t really forget the little girl that Miljana tried to give hope to at the end. Perhaps that is why she feels so responsible for her death. They may not have found a body, but they have long since given up hope of doing so. They’d have to dig through all too many bones in the earth, and that is not something either of them relishes the thought of.

In her hands, Miljana holds some sort of plant, it seems. It’s no more than a twig with some green leaves on it, but it’s more than nothing.  
“I’m sorry, Gwen. This isn’t the red iris I promised you, but it’s all I could find. It seems that no one has any surviving flowers, not even seeds. But hey, it’s still greenery, right?”  
She puts it down on the earth in front of the small rock. Next to it is a few other items – a broken toy, some other barren twigs and a few notes.  
“I obtained it from some travelers that had come from the south. I heard rumors that there may have been some surviving forests but…seems like there wasn’t any flowers. This was all they had.  
There are few places left for me to look through now, I’m afraid…”

After she has stood watching for a while, Devona feels the sorrow settling in as she places her hammer on the ground and walks up to Miljana. She kneels behind her friend and puts a hand on the ranger’s shoulder, squeezing it gently.  
“We’ll find some for her eventually, Jana. We’re not gonna give up.”

If she was surprised by Devona’s arrival, it doesn’t show, as Miljana keeps watching the grave, sighing heavily.  
“I dunno. Feels like I’ve scoured every damn inch across this godsforsaken land. All I ever find is dust and ashes…”

“We have to keep hoping. Without it, we’ll be lost. I mean, if you found this twig, that’s at least a good sign, isn’t it?”

“It’s not the only one. A few trees survived in remote locations. That’s it.”  
Before Devona can offer more encouragement, Miljana stands up and turns to look at her. The Captain rises as to not be the only one on the ground. When she does, she sees the bags under Miljana’s gaze and how the eyes themselves appear rather bloodshot as well.  
“I assume you came here for the scout report?”

“Yeah, I did, but we can wait with it if you prefer.”

The ranger shakes her head and leans down to grab her bow and quiver from the ground. Off to the side, Devona can see movement and how Nakota raises her head as if waking up. She seems to have been resting a bit.  
“No no, let’s do it now, before I forget the important details.”

Always so stubborn and refusing to listen to her friend’s recommendations. Devona sighs and folds her arms.  
“Alright, go on then.”

Miljana grabs the short sword from her belt, kneeling down again and starts drawing something in the soil with it. Looks to be a simplistic map.  
“We found several groups travelling through the Breach, far to the northwest. They seem to have been scouting the area, just like we were, but I think we’ve been able to figure out what they’re doing.  
From our observations and educated guesses, it appears that they’re going to try to bypass Piken Square and aim to take down the small outpost in between that place and Ascalon City. This will shatter the direct ties between us and the Square, plus that it will give them a chance to launch an attack on the capital.”

Devona watches what Miljana is drawing for her and frowns in thought.  
“Attack here? I mean, that’s a bold move, but also a stupid one. Ascalon City is our most fortified location. You sure they won’t target the Square instead?”

“Not according to what we heard and saw.  
We met with some of Barradin’s men and from what information they’ve gathered, it appears that the charr have been collecting more magical energy and artifacts. They believe that there’s a possibility for the enemy to be creating a new weapon of incredibly destructive power. Not the same as the Searing cauldrons, but certainly something devastating.  
On top of this, the amount of soldiers we saw is not a large enough force to actually challenge the Square, even if they try to surround it. They don’t even have siege equipment.  
Unless the charr believe they can hold the outpost in between us, my guess is that they’re going to try to unleash this weapon on us first.”

“Why us and not the Square, though?”

“Because if they launch it on the Square first, they fear we may be able to counteract the weapon if they want to use it on the capital later as well, as we have better resources. However, if they use it on us first, it’s likely that they wouldn’t even need it against the Square. The Duke’s scouts seemed to agree with me.”

Piken Square is definitely a defensible position and Duke Barradin have bravely defended it for quite some time. In fact, she’s pretty sure that if they didn’t have him and his forces, it would’ve fallen long ago.  
If the charr wanted to take the Square, they likely would’ve amassed a huge number of soldiers to surround it, but if they do have some special weapon, they wouldn’t even need that. Less soldiers also means less chance of being spotted.  
“Alright, do you have any ideas?”

“I do.”  
She points towards a position somewhat south of the Square.  
“There’s a passage here, rather narrow and deep, between some hills. To avoid detection from Barradin, which I assume they aim to do, they have to go through it. If we act within a day or two, the Vanguard should be able to seize this location before the charr arrive. That way, we can set up an ambush which will stop their advance, or at least slow them down, and give the Duke a chance to gather his own forces to back us up.”

Devona raises a hand up to her chin and strokes it.  
“Hmm. That would make us spend a lot of arrows and other ranged resources.”

“True, but it’s our best chance. Unless we wanna lose our safest route to Piken Square, we have to defeat them and make sure that they realize they can’t simply slip past that area.”

She can certainly see the purpose of such an attack, whether it will be costly or not.  
“Alright, you’ve made your point. I’ll bring it up with Warmaster Tydus, see what he thinks of it.”  
Pushing the thoughts of battle aside, she eyes her friend slowly.  
“Now, tell me how you’re doing. I mean, you look…exhausted.”

Miljana gives in, finally relinquishing a yawn as she rubs one of her eyes.  
“Yeah, I guess. Haven’t slept for like two days, because I wanted to get back here in time. Other than that, I’m fine.”

Of course she’d say that. Most people would be completely drained or beg to get some rest, but Miljana somehow thinks to take care of some graves first, rather than herself. If she goes on like this, Devona is afraid whether she’ll have to dig the ranger’s tomb soon enough.  
“Well, I tend to disagree. Go into the city, get some sleep and when you’re awake again, have a meal as well. The chefs should be able to warm something up for you.”

Miljana looks a bit annoyed, as if she’s about to dismiss the worries.  
“Nah, that’s alright. I think I prefer to just sit here for a while.”

“What, sit here in your own misery? You think Gwen or any of the others would be happy that you get closer to killing yourself with lack of sleep?”

The ranger rolls her eyes.  
“Dev…”

 _“Jana,_ I’m serious! I can’t have you passing out in front of the troops later on, so please, do as I say.”

Miljana remains standing, eyes diverted to another direction while she seems to contemplate her options for a few moments. Eventually she shakes her head and begins walking.  
“…fine. You’re the boss, I guess.”

Devona watches how Nakota runs after her companion and together, they wander back towards the city. She realizes how protective she has become of Miljana and vice versa. In combat, she knows that Miljana is always watching out for her whenever they fight together and makes sure that the Captain does nothing stupid. In return, Devona tries to constantly prod at her friend to get enough rest and food, whenever the Sergeant forgets it.  
In these gloomy times, perhaps it is not too bad to have a proper friend.


	8. The Reaper's fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Hardly any dialogue in this one, but I wanted to show a bit how Miljana and Devona fight in the guerilla war that they wage on the charr._   
>  _Also,[Devona's theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L08N3OvBIw4) is quite suitable for the first part of this chapter._

The darkness of the night is suddenly lit up for a few seconds, as fire erupts around the area. A charr prison camp, which usually only hears the noises of groaning prisoners or the growls of their captors, is abruptly filled with the sound of explosions instead. Before the felines have much time to react, they see how a cloud of smoke surges in towards them and begins to block much of their sight, along with some rather pungent odor. They have a difficult time to determine what it is, other than that it smells foul and stings their noses.

The prison warden, a bulky red-furred charr with one of his four horns cut in half, a nasty scar over the lower jaw and some of his fangs being a bit twisted, jumps up and begins shouting orders to his fellow soldiers to move out and see what’s going on. He demands status reports, as he wants to know how many humans are coming this way. This chaos has been caused by them, no doubt. Who else would attack the camp like this? The pitiful creatures have been doing very poorly ever since the war started and while they persist, they never dare to face the mighty charr in direct combat. They’re both too few and too weak to muster such an act.

The warden himself rushes towards the prisoner cages, as he’s certain that must be their goal. It’s difficult to see very far because of the smoke, and along with the foul odor that likely was created to disrupt their strong sense of smell, their perception is severely hindered. Nevertheless, he makes it up to one of the cages, where at least a dozen prisoners are held. Most of them look either terrified or confused. They wear nothing more than rags, and some of them are thin and starved, or at least ill. They’re pathetic and some might pity them, but he only has scorn for these weaklings. He can’t believe that their ancestors ever stole this land from his. It would seem to be impossible.

Not having the time to open the cage normally, he grabs the sword from its scabbard by his belt, slashes the lock to destroy it and then rips the door open.  
“Sorry, meat, it appears that your execution has come early.”

He's just about to take a step inside, when out from the smoke, a plated fist suddenly comes flying. He didn’t even notice anyone closing in on him and has no time to react, which allows it to hit him straight across the left side of his jaw and he staggers backwards. Grunting in pain, he tries to regain his footing, while his vision has gone blurry. He knew some of the damn furless runts were capable enough in a fight, but he hadn’t expected this.

After shaking his head and growling in frustration, he finally sees who attacked him – one of the pink-skinned ones, it seems, with blonde fur on the head, down to no more than the shoulders. There’s no fur on the face of this one, though, so he wonders if it’s potentially a female. But that’s not possible, is it? He always found them to be weak, even more so than female charr.  
Regardless, she frowns at him deeply, while holding a black steel war hammer in her other hand.  
“Why don’t you fight someone your own size, you coward?”

He growls at her once more, baring his fangs.  
“It seems not all of your kind are soft and weak, but your furless hides are still just as ugly.”

“I can say the same thing to you, cat.”  
She glances over her shoulder, seeing the frightened prisoners.  
“Get out of here. More of the Vanguard is waiting for you outside. I will take care of this bastard.”

They nod eagerly, doing as she says, while the warden brings forth his shield as well, preparing himself for combat. In a way, he’s actually excited. He doesn’t get to see much action in this damn pit, as the cur caught here didn’t offer much resistance.  
“Those prisoners are mine. You think you can just take them away that easily?”

She swings the hammer up, grabbing the handle with both hands.  
“The way you treat these people, this place doesn’t even deserve the name of a ‘prison’. I am Captain Devona of the Ascalon Vanguard, daughter of Mordakai and I’m shutting your business down, charr.”

A rumbling laughter leaves his throat as he holds up his shield and grips the hilt of his blade harder.  
“I don’t care about your worthless name, human. Let’s see how much of a fight you put up instead and if you’ll even be worth the effort.”

Devona frowns and then charges at him, preparing her weapon, but doesn’t attack right away. He doesn’t know if she’s inexperienced or just foolish, but he takes the opportunity to swing his blade at her to get the first strike in. In reaction to this, she raises her hammer and blocks the blade with the handle of her hammer, as it seems to be made of steel as well. It’s likely not made completely for this kind of defensive effort, however.  
What he’s not quite ready for, though, is that she’ll raise her leg and try to kick at him, forcing him to back off before he can do anything else. As he tries to get into position, she turns her weapon around and lets out a battle shout while she slams it down on him. He’s quicker though, and blocks it with his shield. Despite this, he’s impressed with how much strength she put into it, almost forcing him back. The piece of metal likely got quite a dent in it, but he doesn’t care.

They continue like this for about a minute, with him trying to lunge his blade at her, which she either blocks or completely evades, and then she launches a counterattack with her fists or her feet. In the long run, she technically does more damage, but because of his armor, most of it is absorbed and she rarely gets a strike in with the hammer. That the tip of his blade only grazes her frustrates him, but she’ll screw up eventually. They always do.

He finds a pattern in her tactics, and tries to follow it as much as he can, trying to make it all too obvious, so that she won’t expect what comes next. After that, he suddenly tries to bash her with his shield and just as he anticipated, she wasn’t ready for this maneuver. It gets her right in the chest, making her stagger backwards, although not fall over. While he launches his blade at her, she does unfortunately manage to avoid it again, by throwing herself at him, making them almost tumble into the ground, but he remains standing. She is now too close to let him slash at her, but the same goes for her, and she doesn’t expect the other weapon he has. He sees her left arm very close to his head, and while it’s armored, he thinks that won’t really help her.

Opening his jaw, he soon closes it around her arm and bites down into it. The sturdy hide of the plate armor is rough to chew at, but he pushes past the pain and keeps going, hoping that it will be enough to pierce it and possibly damage her severely. Can’t swing that weapon if she doesn’t have two functional upper limbs. Her screams of pain are delightful to him as well.

Unfortunately, he underestimates the persistence of Devona and while one arm is being bitten into, the other grips even tighter around the hilt of her weapon. Summoning all the strength she can muster, she tries to push the hammer right up into the air and it connects with one of the weak points in his own armor – the lack of any lower jaw protection. It hits with such power that he almost gets knocked out completely and while he’s not sure, it does certainly feel as if a fang or two might’ve been forcibly extracted in the impact.

He remains standing only for a few seconds, as he can barely see due to his eyes going blurry again, and therefore can’t block the next attack, which is a blow to his gut. His armor would usually protect him, but war hammers like hers are specifically designed to do damage past them and therefore he feels all of the pain it inflicts, and how bones break beneath.  
As he falls to the ground, bleeding internally and groaning in agony, he only manages to look up enough to see the terrifying sight of her standing above him. With her eyes practically burning with rage, the smoke surrounding her and the large steel weapon in her hand, he couldn’t be faulted for believing that the human god of Balthazar had come in avatar form, to bring down justice upon him. At least his end is quick.  


* * *

  
With the commotion all around them as they are freed from their cages, the prisoners don’t quite know where to go at first. Sure, they are directed to meet up with Vanguard troops outside, but the smoke and the foul stenches distract them too much from actually seeing where that would be. Many of them are starved, ill or otherwise weakened, but none of them wishes to be left behind. If they have a chance at escape, they will take it.

Some of them make the mistake of stumbling right into some of their charr guards and the huge furred creatures are not merciful when it comes to any humans, least of all escaped prisoners. The two closest out of the dozen or so that run this way immediately gets cut down and the others scream, preparing to flee the other way. That's when two of the guards suddenly fall down dead to the ground, only a second or two in between them. Not only the prisoners, but the charr appear rather shocked and they look around in panic, perhaps even a bit of fear. Certainly not a sensation any of the humans expected to see from their captors.

As another charr falls, some of the prisoners see the reason for why now – arrows. And not just that, but accurately fired arrows as well. Each seems to have hit vital points in some fashion. They look upwards then, their eyes falling upon the hill to the east which stands somewhat on the outskirts of the camp. Up there, a dark brown-skinned individual, with long light brown hair and a flowing purple cloak behind her, is revealed during the occasional flashes from the fire that burns nearby. In her hands, she firmly grips a bow that continuously launches arrows at the many enemies around the camp. They wonder how good her perceptional skills really are, but can any of them actually complain?

Her appearance is a welcoming one and some wonder if she’s a savior from above. Has the vengeful avatar of Grenth arrived to help protect his people by delivering death to their enemies? None of them care about the truth, for they now know that someone has their backs, and this is all that matters, as they quickly escape the area.

In the meantime, the charr also locate her and a squad of soldiers tries to move around her while she focuses on protecting the fleeing prisoners. This surprises her, as she wasn’t expecting to be seen due to the smoke and that it’s still night time, but it may have abated somewhat.  
Her shots turn towards their direction and two falls to arrows, while the others raise their shields in between them and their enemy. From another area, a few more arrows are loosened by the other two human archers, before they too get charr trying to overwhelm them. Only a duo is left to assault the lone ranger.

Unfortunately for them, she is not as alone as they may have believed. Like the wild rage of Melandru herself, a stalker jumps out from the darkness and pounces one of the charging charr, biting and tearing at him as he falls downwards.  
There’s only one left who blocks any shots that the human can provide, which is not many, even though she tries her best. When he finally reaches her position, he swings the shield wide, knocking away her weapon and she groans in pain.

He tries to finally take down the bastard who’s been killing many of his brothers out there, with his axe, but the woman with the purple cloak is too quick, ducking beneath his weapon.  
Once more, he attempts to bash her with his shield, but she avoids this strike as well, flying around like a leaf in the wind. The difference between a leaf and her, however, is that she has thorns. She pulls out a short sword from her belt and tackles him. In the act, she grabs his arm, holding herself close and digs the blade into an exposed section by his neck and he roars in pain. He desperately tries to shake her off as the pain escalates, but to no avail. She twists it around, increasing the agony and his life essence drains rapidly. Just before he falls, she rips the blade out, letting some of his blood spray across her clothes and face.  
If Grenth was not personally present this day, his spirit was at least by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yes, I imagine that Devona often announces herself that way to her enemies and Miljana teases her for how silly it is. She just wants to look badass_


	9. Just a memory

Throughout the past two years, Miljana and Devona have constantly shown their prowess in battle, as well as in debates regarding tactics and strategies. Due to these actions, there are certain people in positions of leadership that have relied on them ever since that fateful day in the hills outside of the Ascalon Academy. One in particular is the man that both of them have come to meet by the Frontier Gate, the outpost on the eastern edge of the Great Northern Wall.

As they wander past the soldiers who are stationed here, some of them recognize the two and either nod in greeting or salute them. Even if not everyone is aware of their identities, their reputation has at least grown quite substantially, making some acknowledge them even if they have not met.  
At the back of the camp, both women suddenly stop and salute with a closed fist to their chests.  
“We have arrived as requested, your majesty.”

Prince Rurik stands with his arms behind his back, somewhere next to his tent, overlooking the barren area to the north. He slowly turns around and inclines his head. Compared to his youthful and confident face at Miljana’s first meeting with him, he has become far more rugged through the years. The scars and the fact that he rarely shaves is probably part of this as well.  
“Captain Devona, Sergeant Vlasic – it is good to see you both. At ease. How are you two doing?”

They aren’t unused to these conversations, seeing as the Prince has actually confided in them several times since they first met. For whatever reason, he trusts these two more than most.  
Miljana shrugs briefly.  
“As well as can be expected, I suppose. Had to fight some grawl on the way here.”

“I see. Ambush?”

“Indeed. Some of the clans from the southeast are beginning to migrate in this direction. We still don’t know why, exactly.”

Devona nods in agreement.  
“Although, it is plausible to believe that it has a lot to do with the creatures that we now see in that area. All manner of beasts has appeared in the past few months.”

Rurik looks somewhat troubled, although it is not a very unusual sentiment for him. He shakes his head, trying to wash his mind of it.  
“Let us not think of that right now. Your families, are they both well?”

Devona looks a bit uncomfortable and lets Miljana go first.  
“Well, my clan is still determined to stay quite spread out. They almost lost one during a scouting mission last week - my mother’s cousin - but thankfully, they managed to find him and bring him back.”

“That’s good to hear. We don’t need any more tragedies. Your parents are healthy, I hope?”

“As much as one can be in this land, your majesty.”

He nods slowly, all too aware what she’s speaking of. He turns his eyes towards Devona.  
“Captain?”

She squirms for a moment.  
“I…I hope you don’t mind, Your Highness, but I would prefer not to speak of this.”

Rurik hesitates, while Miljana offers her a sympathetic gaze. She knows that Devona and her mother do not have the best of relationships, mostly because she is not very happy about her daughter’s choice of lifestyle. They have been fighting about it during the entire time that Miljana has known her.  
“Ah, my apologies, I suppose your situation must’ve slipped my mind. Let’s forget it.”

“Of course. Thank you, your majesty.”

He takes a deep breath, while his eyes wander off to the wasteland once more.  
“I suppose I shouldn’t delay and get onto the topic I wished to speak of.  
You both know that I trust your opinions and your expertise, yes?”

Miljana folds her arms, relaxing her stance a bit.  
“Of course, and you know we’re always happy to share them, your majesty.”

The Captain glances at her momentarily, very aware that the shorter woman tends to be far more eager than her in this matter. Rurik simply nods, however.  
“Naturally, and I’m very glad to hear them, as well. This is why I wished to speak to you today. I wanted to hear your opinions on the war, so far.”

The two women momentarily shares a glance, before Devona clears her throat.  
“What kind of opinions, Your Highness?”

He turns to her with sharp eyes.  
“Honest ones, Captain.”

“As you wish.  
Well, personally, I believe that it hasn’t gone…swimmingly, I suppose, when it comes to the overall war effort, but things have slowly been turning around. We have been winning some important battles as of late, not to mention defeating the failed charr attack on our outpost southeast of Piken Square.”

“Ah, that is true. Warmaster Tydus informed me that you were behind that mission as well?”

“Well, Miljana was the one who gathered the information for us. It was invaluable and I’m not sure we would’ve won without it.”

He smiles slightly in the ranger’s direction.  
“Of course, I should’ve expected as much. Well done, Sergeant.”

She bows her head briefly.  
“Always glad to do my duty, your majesty. However, if I may…”

“Go on.”

Miljana looks towards her friend, who sighs inwardly, knowing what’s coming.  
“While I agree that our victories as of late have been…important for morale, I am skeptical if it will change the overall result of the war.”

“I see. Can you elaborate?”

“Well, first of all, we haven’t been fighting differently than before. Every battle is still focused on guerilla fighting, as we have to move from the shadows or ambushes. It’s rare that we ever go on the offensive in the open, as we simply don’t have the numbers.  
On top of that, each fight that we’ve won, I would perhaps classify as ‘important’, but not exactly ‘vital’. We’re winning battles here and there, but the charr keep pushing. Our successes will grant us survival for a time, perhaps a few years, but not victory. It is becoming more and more evident that we cannot stop this invasion, unless the gods offer us some kind of miracle.”

Devona clears her throat again.  
“Jana…that may have been a bit too harsh.”

Or too truthful, but she didn’t want to say this in front of the Prince. Miljana simply shrugs, while Rurik lifts a hand.  
“It’s alright, Captain. I thank you for your honesty, Sergeant, and I’m glad to hear it. You see, I have been thinking similar thoughts for quite a few months now.”

They both look a bit surprised to hear him admit it. While his enthusiasm has diminished through the years, he has never spoken outright about believing in their ultimate defeat. Devona actually looks a bit saddened at the thought of their Prince losing hope.  
“You have?”

“Indeed. It is certainly…difficult to admit such a thing, but I have forced myself to see the truth, instead of continuing to be blinded by false hope. I even tried to speak of it with my father.”

King Adelbern, in comparison, never quite seems to relinquish his fighting will, at least not in public.  
“What does he think?”, Miljana says, while tilting her head.

“Unfortunately, he does not quite share my worries. Or rather, he may see a point, but his fighting spirit will never diminish. He is ready to sacrifice everything we have, rather than giving in to the enemy.”

Somehow, this fills both women with a bit of pride.  
“Well, if it makes any difference, your majesty, we would do the same thing”, Devona says, with a fierce look in her eyes.

Miljana inclines her head in agreement.  
“Everything for Ascalon. That’s why we are still fighting.”

For a moment, the Prince looks tired, exhausted even as he sighs.  
“I…commend your courage, even if it saddens me to hear it. However, I must add that not everyone is as ready as you are to march into death. We must consider alternatives and I hope you are willing to hear my options.”

It’s not unexpected that the Prince would be tired of war, as many soldiers are, but they’re not sure what he means.  
“What kind of options, Your Highness?”

“Well, let us say for example, that an opportunity was offered to you, to leave Ascalon and find a safe haven elsewhere. Would you take it?”

Miljana arches an eyebrow, while Devona appears distant for a moment, before she responds.  
“I…suppose that depends exactly what it would entail and where we would go.”

“Do you remember those Krytan ambassadors you escorted me to a couple of weeks ago?”

Devona looks skeptical, while Miljana frowns.  
“Yeah, we remember", the ranger tells him. "Not a very pleasant meeting.”

She is very distrustful of their fellow human nation, likely because of their attacks on Ascalon only a few years ago. Rurik recognizes similar sentiments in his father too, but he’s surprised that Devona doesn’t show more contempt. Didn’t she lose her father in a battle against Krytan guilds?  
“I know how you feel regarding the Krytans, Sergeant, but we must look past judgment of our former foes. This is about survival and they have suffered almost as much as we have from charr attacks.”

“I doubt they did much while our homeland was burning, though.”

He exhales and shakes his head.  
“Perhaps, but that does not mean they didn’t suffer a lot of deaths of their own.  
Regardless, there are not many of us left at this point and the charr seek the entire annihilation of our people, perhaps humans everywhere. The solution at this point is to band together and find whatever survival that we’re able to.  
This is the true reason I asked you to come. I want us to discuss the possibility of taking our people out of Ascalon and towards Kryta.”

Shock instills itself within them. They would’ve thought that perhaps Rurik would suggest they ask the Krytans for help against the charr, but actually abandoning Ascalon altogether? That’s madness.  
While Devona is trying to gather her thoughts, Miljana moves straight into questioning this plan.  
“Your majesty, with all due respect, that does not sound like a journey which seems plausible to do.”

“I realize that it will be difficult and not everyone will wish to join us, but we have to try getting as many civilians out of Ascalon as we possibly can. They aren’t doing anything for the war effort anyhow and simply letting them waste away in misery is an affront to everything that our nation should stand for.”

“You may have some good points, but there are other things to consider. Travelling across the Shiverpeak mountains is not exactly a peaceful trip. There are all sorts of dangers in that region from what I hear, and few of our people are used to such conditions. On top of this, trying to gather our entire population and unite them in a cause to abandon Ascalon is a massive effort.”

He crosses his arms and despite his previous gloomy attitude, he’s beginning to show some determination.  
“I’m very well aware of this, Sergeant, but it is an effort that must be done. If we wish Ascalon to survive in more than just a memory, we have to consider this option.”

It doesn’t sound like an option so much as a decision that Rurik has already made, but they can understand his adamant attitude.  
“And what does the King think of this endeavor?”

Rurik frowns a bit deeper, but there’s also a slight flush across his cheeks as he clears his throat.  
“I…I have not yet had the opportunity to speak with him about it.”

Miljana and Devona look at one another, unsure if they should feel honored that he chose to mention it to them first or afraid that they may somehow be opposing the King in the future. That will never go well.  
“Right.”

Devona sighs slightly, feeling that this burden may already be affecting them.  
“Does this mean that you expect us to aid you in starting this operation as well, your majesty?”

“Well…I was hoping I could get your support, yes. I realize that it may be difficult to accept, not to mention acting upon, but you have to remember that we’re doing this for Ascalon.”

“I…see what you mean, but this is still our home. We’ve lived here our entire lives here, explored and experienced several good and fulfilling years upon its soil. There’s so much history and memories that we would be leaving behind if we turn our backs on Ascalon.”

While she mentions this, both Rurik and Miljana suspects that Devona’s attitude in this matter likely has to do with her father as well. He died for his country and now she would seek to leave it? She may feel that she’s spitting on his memory by doing so.  
“Yes, I realize how hard it is for both of you, likely for a lot of people, to think of leaving our homes behind. I’m not saying that this is easy, nor that you should forget everything that you’ve had here. But in the end, what are memories to any of you, if we all die protecting Ascalon? No one will remember any of this, other than that we fell in our folly to stand defiant to the last person. Who will help preserve the memories of all those who have fallen? Who will tell tales of the bravery, the honor, the pride of Ascalonians since our founding and to the very end?  
All of that will be lost, if we fall with our nation.”

His words leave them silenced for a while, as they take in the truth he offers. Neither of them had considered it from this angle, and perhaps they weren’t expected to either. Their mindset has been far too filled with war as of late.  
Miljana raises her hand towards the hem of the cloak by her neck, correcting it somewhat.  
“I…suppose there may be some logic to what you’re saying, your majesty. While I remain skeptical, I know that my clan would very likely want to take that chance. Last time I met my parents, they mentioned that many have already thought about leaving, possibly travelling to the south.”

He seems somewhat invigorated by the fact that his words affected them.  
“I’m glad to hear that, although like I said, I believe travelling west, to Kryta, is a better option.  
I am, and always have been, very proud of your service to the Vanguard and this nation. You are both exemplary soldiers and invaluable to the war effort. But your duty must extend past defending the barren wasteland we’re forced to wander upon.  
Therefore, I wonder, are you ready to perform your duty in protecting the people and not just the land? Are you ready to do what’s necessary for Ascalonians, no matter what that demands of you?”

More flames ignite in them, the same kind of feeling that they’ve felt several times before, when they’ve gone into battle behind him. During those times, however, it was in an attempt to defeat charr in battle, not to flee from them. With some reluctance, they show their agreement.  
“We are ready to do what you require of us, your majesty, as…disheartening as it may be to consider", Miljana explains.

“I understand, Sergeant, and I’m not expecting you to forget Ascalon just yet. But know that you are doing the right and honorable thing.  
I will start this campaign myself, by travelling to different outposts and settlements, and relay the word as much as I can. I want you to speak with some of your fellow soldiers of the same matter. We must let people know that there is an alternative to our destiny.”


	10. In the cold reaches

A white wide landscape sprawls out before them, surrounded by the occasional pine trees, smaller vegetation, as well as distant tips of mountains. Several cold winds blow down across the area where they’re currently situated, forcing many of the humans to huddle closer to each other or any nearby fire that they’ve created. The camp they’ve set up isn’t exactly the most appropriate for as many as they have, but it’s all they can do for the time being.  
Miljana stands on a hill at the outskirts of the camp, looking down towards them, to make sure that as many people as possible are accounted for and that no hostilities occur between them, or from the outside. In this region, who knows what kind of creatures might descend upon them?

While she tries to remain solemn and focused, it’s somewhat difficult because of the red-furred and brown-spotted feline that runs around her. Nakota jumps up just behind her, tackling a pile of snow and smashes it with her paw, letting it go flying everywhere.  
Miljana smirks and shakes her head.  
“Hey, be careful!”  
Nakota glances up at her with playful eyes and her tail whips back and forth rather excitedly. Before her companion gets a chance to say anything else, the stalker dashes off across the snow and then jumps to dive right into another pile.  
“Tsk, watch out, dammit! I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

If the stalker heard her, she certainly isn’t listening, as she’s far too busy having fun with everything around here.  
Miljana turns as she hears a soft laughter and the noise of heavy boots on the snow.  
“Well, she’s enjoying herself at least, right?”

The ranger turns to see Devona approaching her from the direction of the camp. On her head, there’s a warm cloth cap and a scarf around her neck and shoulders. Other than that, she’s still mostly in her armor, which is perhaps no surprise. She’s one of the most capable fighters in the camp and needs to be ready for any kind of threat that might come at them.  
“Heh, seems like it. I dunno where it’s coming from, really. She has never shown much interest in snow before.”

“Maybe she hasn’t experienced it in such abundance?”

Miljana shrugs, remembering that they haven’t visited any such areas together, but Regent Valley still saw snowfall every now and then.  
“True, but I wouldn’t have thought some more would excite her. Oh well, as long as she doesn’t get hurt.”

She then notices how Devona is shaking, quite a bit in fact, and the warrior attempts to rub her arms somewhat, even if it doesn’t really do much in her current outfit.  
“Wish I could feel the same.”

The ranger begins smiling amusedly and folds her arms. She’s naturally wearing a scarf and a wool cap as well, but even so, she seems to be more used to this climate.  
“Not used to the cold?”

“Ugh, not really. In the north, we didn’t exactly have a lot of cold days, not like this. Winter in our area was fairly short at least and not nearly this horrible.”

“Tsk, and here I thought I’d never get to see the mighty Devona’s weakness. Turns out it was snow all along!”

Devona stares at her for several moments, showing quite the opposite of Miljana’s smug attitude.  
“And how come you’re doing so much better?”

She shrugs nonchalantly in return.  
“I guess I just have more experience. A few clan members occasionally took me up towards Wizard’s Folly, both to experience the climate and for hunting. It had some creatures you couldn’t quite find in the Valley.”

Devona closes her eyes and shakes her head.  
“You willingly went into this kind of place? I would’ve ran for my life immediately. Alternatively, I would’ve preferred to constantly be wrapped in five layers of blankets.”

Miljana laughs shortly and then moves closer towards her friend, wrapping arms around her. She’s much smaller and shorter, and can’t quite envelop Dev, but she does her best to cuddle as close as possible.  
“I’m not a bunch of blankets, but I can still share my warmth with ya.”

Opening her eyes, Devona arches a brow while she starts to smile.  
“Uh, you know I’m wearing armor, right?”

“Yes, I can feel that. It’s kind of in the way.”

“Yeah, not much I can do about that.”

“Well, you could remove it and we could cuddle in the snow.”

Devona snorts amusedly and then wraps an arm around Miljana, while patting her head.  
“Thanks, but I think I prefer to keep it on. If you wanna snuggle, we can do it when we’re off our shift.”

Accepting her point, Miljana winks and moves back a bit, before both of them eye the makeshift camp below them.  
It’s been a few weeks now since they left Old Ascalon, the King and the army behind. Somehow, they aren’t quite sure how, people had actually listened to Prince Rurik’s plan to leave their homeland and reach for more fertile land to the west, in Kryta.  
They have yet to spend much time in the Shiverpeak Mountains, but so far, it’s at least looking fairly positive. People are trying as much as they can to look out for one another and spirits are being raised, at least to a certain degree. The Prince has given them something they haven’t had in a long time – hope. That said, there’s still quite a long and arduous road ahead, with many dangers.

Currently, the Prince is off to meet with some kind of dwarven leader by the name of Jalis Ironhammer. It’s not a name that either of the two women knows, but they trust him to do what’s best in this situation. Supposedly, the dwarves can offer them a place to stay and safe passage through the mountains, if Rurik is to be believed.  
While the camp isn’t advanced, it is still quite large. They aren’t sure of the exact numbers, but at least a couple of thousand people, which is a big chunk of the surviving civilian population plus a few dozen guards, are all gathered here. They hoped for some more, but this is definitely better than nothing. If they can succeed and survive, it will be a beacon of hope for anyone else that receives word of this.

The duo eyes a few of the closest people to their location, who sit huddled together – surviving members of clan Vlasic. They used to be about one or two hundred, and now they’re no more than a dozen left, although a few more have chosen to stay in Ascalon. Thankfully, two of those with them are Miljana’s parents, who sit close to one another. Her father is sleeping against her mother’s shoulder, probably being exhausted after the scouting he did today.  
While she watches them, she is soon distracted by Devona’s voice.  
“You think we’ll make it to the dwarves?”

Miljana looks up at her in thought, before she offers an eager nod.  
“Of course we will, and we’re not leaving a single person behind either.”

“It’s gonna be a tough trek, though. And some of our scouts haven’t returned with the best of words for the road ahead.”

“So? We’re Ascalonians, Dev, and we’ve suffered way worse than a little weather and some beasts. We’ll face it all, no problem.”

Devona isn’t sure if she should be suspicious or glad to hear Miljana’s excited tone.  
“Hey, what happened to the Miljana I knew? You sound so very…positive.”

The ranger smirks at her companion and places a hand at her hip.  
“Well, we gotta show some enthusiasm, you know. If we don’t keep our spirits up, people are gonna notice. They’re trusting us to take them through this and if we look worried, they will feel the same way.”

Devona smiles softly and nods, realizing that she’s correct.  
“I guess you’re right. Still, I don’t always feel it’s that easy. There’s still so much trouble and danger ahead. I don’t want to lie to them.”

“Then don’t. There’s no pressure on us to lie to their faces, but we don’t necessarily have to tell them of everything either. It’s better if we shoulder the burden of knowing what we have to encounter and just…wait with telling anyone.”

The Captain – or rather, former Captain, seeing as how they’ve had to officially leave the Vanguard now - doesn’t seem completely comfortable with it, however.  
“I guess so. We’ll have to do our best, I suppose.”

Miljana nods, hoping that Devona realizes that she’s right.  
“Have you spoken to your mother yet?”

That feeling of discomfort shifts from one issue to another, and the warrior's eyes fall to the ground.  
“…you know I haven’t.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t.”

Miljana sighs and her self-assured demeanor falters somewhat.  
“You’ve said that before, Dev, and you know it’s not true.”

“Isn’t it? I’ve tried to reach out before, but she just won’t listen to me.”

“And how long ago was that, huh? Like, several months by now? Things are changing, and you should try again.”

Devona looks away, not wanting to meet her friend’s gaze.  
“It’s just…not that easy.”

“Only because you’re making it that way. She decided to come with us, didn’t she? That’s a good sign.”

“It means nothing.”

“It could. I feel like it’s possible to see that she has changed. Give her a chance.”

Devona narrows her eyes, forcing them to not look at the camp. If she searched, she knows she’d be able to find her mother, but she doesn’t want to.  
“No. She is too stubborn. She is only here because she wants to survive, just like we do.”

Miljana rolls her eyes.  
“Oh yes, of course, _she’s_ the stubborn one.”

Devona frowns and turns to stare at her companion once more, not at all satisfied with that remark.  
“Excuse me? I’ve given her every chance, Jana.”

At this point, it’s possible to push and fight this out, but right now, Miljana doesn’t have the will. The situation is not very stable and with how much pressure there is upon them, it’s perhaps best to wait until they’re on more secure ground.  
“Yes, I realize you do your best to accept her but…all I’m saying is, think about it, okay? You wanna live with this animosity between you forever?”

Miljana knows there are other things, troubles in the past between them, that Devona haven’t fully relinquished. Someday, she’s gonna have to dig around.  
In the meantime, the warrior’s expression softens.  
“No…no, of course not. I do care for her, it’s just that…”

She doesn’t seem to find the proper words and simply shakes her head. Miljana does feel bad for her friend, knowing that Devona has had to suffer the loss of both parents, even if it happened in different ways.  
“You’ll get through this, Dev. If you need help with it someday, just come talk to me and I’ll do my best.”

“I know. I’ll keep it in mind.”

The two stands in silence together for a while, trying to find some other topic to distract them with, but neither of them can think of anything uplifting at this point. There’s too much tension in the air and so much anxiety lying ahead.  
One thing does pop into Miljana’s mind but…it’s risky.  
“Hey uh, you know what I tend to do when everything looks kinda bleak and I’m not sure what to do?”

“What?”

Devona turns around, and sees how her friend has one arm behind her back when she gradually comes closer. The warrior looks unsure, not quite knowing what Miljana intends and somehow expects a hug.  
Instead, the ranger jumps up and pushes her hand filled with snow right into Devona’s face, really rubbing her hand into it. Cold slides down across Devona’s cheeks and chin, dripping down over her scarf and some even runs past it, underneath her armor.  
Devona gasps in shock as she steps backwards, her eyes widened as she simply stands there for a moment, stunned.

In the meantime, she and some people in the camp hear how Miljana erupts in laughter as she holds a hand at her stomach.  
“I go to my friends and see if they can cheer me up.”

After wiping the snow off her face, she gives Miljana the iciest glare that she’s able to.  
“You’re _dead,_ you know that, right?”

The ranger keeps laughing, unable to stop herself and she takes several steps backwards, before she turns to escape. Devona is not long after, and despite being in rather heavy armor, she dashes forward with an impressive amount of speed.  
As Nakota sees them running, she believes that playtime has started for them too and naturally tries to join them. This is unfortunate for Miljana, who soon falls to both of them and is the next to get a similar treatment.


	11. Never wither

The harsh and cold winds upon the Shiverpeaks seem worse today than usual. The sun is hidden behind the clouded sky and without any campfires being put up, many of the refugees are freezing and huddle together for warmth. While they still have supplies for a short while longer, those have gradually been depleting and it isn’t looking very well for the future.  
However, despite these difficulties, they are distracted by something they consider to be worse – sorrow.

For weeks, the Ascalonians have fought and bled through their journey across the mountains, where some have even fallen to a few of the many dangers in this region. One of the most prominent of those deaths happened just two days ago, when Prince Rurik himself was struck down by Stone Summit dwarves who were attacking.  
While Miljana and Devona led the way for the people, Rurik and several of the soldiers they had with them decided to hold off the largest group of hostile dwarves that were pursuing them. They fought bravely, lasting as long as they possibly could, but it would not hold forever. The ranger herself witnessed it from afar, but was not close enough to defend him. She tried with a few arrows, but they wouldn’t reach.

In the outskirts of the camp, the friends meet to converse, and Miljana can already see the diminished spirit in her friend as well. They place themselves on a few rocks which they have to dust the snow off first.  
“Haven’t had time to ask so far, so I might as well do it now", Miljana says quietly. "How are you doing?”

Devona’s gaze is lowered to the ground and she only sighs at first. It’s understandable that she would hesitate.  
“I…I don’t know what to say.”

As Devona has removed her gauntlets to wear some warm gloves instead, Miljana lifts a hand to intertwine their fingers into a gentle embrace.  
“It’s not easy right now, I know that.”

“Easy? That’s…that’s just not enough. It’s devastating…”

“I know, but we can’t lose hope.”

Devona exhales once more, making her both sound and look exhausted.  
“I’m not sure there’s anything left, Jana.”  
She closes her eyes, squeezing her friend’s hand.  
“What are we going to do? Without Rurik, I…we’re lost.”

The sorrow in Devona’s voice is heart-breaking to hear and very understandable, but somehow, Miljana can’t let herself falter. For some reason, the determination in her won’t waver.  
“We’re not lost, Dev. We’re still here, aren’t we?”

“But for how long? We’re almost out of food, water and there are so few soldiers left. Everyone is relying on us too and there’s still several days until we can actually see anything else than snow and rocks.”

“So? We’ve lasted this long, haven’t we? We can’t let ourselves be defeated after all this time. What do you think our fallen would say to that?”

For but a moment, Devona wants to argue, before she realizes that she doesn’t have the will.  
“…I dunno.”

Miljana shakes her head, somewhat surprised to see her friend so broken. Not even during the Searing did Devona actually seem this tired and the ranger wonders if perhaps everything from the last two years is catching up to her. It makes Miljana contemplate the idea of this happening to her as well. She cannot allow that.  
“We need to leave soon, Dev, while we still have a few more hours of daylight. We’ve been sitting here for too long.”

“I don’t know how. No one wants to take charge and the people don’t want to listen.”

Technically, Devona would be in charge because she is the senior officer from the Vanguard, but they’re not in the army any longer, and therefore don’t care about their ranks.  
Miljana frowns, her eyes travelling towards the direction of the people. Most sit among themselves and their families, while a few wanders restlessly. It seems some do want to leave, but they don’t wish to do so alone, as they have no idea where to go. No one wants to take the initiative nor the first step.

Suddenly rising, she still holds onto Dev’s hand and begins pulling at it.  
“C’mon.”

Dev widens her eyes and then blinks them.  
“W-what are you doing?”

“I said c’mon. I have an idea.”

Miljana is certainly not strong enough to actually drag Devona away, unless she uses a lot of strength and the warrior doesn’t fight back, but for now, Devona allows herself to be pulled up to her feet.  
“Jana…”

“Shut up and follow me.”

They stride somewhat away from the people, up a slope that takes them closer to a slightly raised area by the foot of some other mountainous peaks. It gives them a pretty decent view of the entire camp. At that point, she lets go of Devona’s hand and clears her throat.  
“People of Ascalon! Please, hear me.”  
Her voice echoes out over this region, possibly being heard further than that. It may be that some who shouldn’t overhear are doing so as well, but right now, she doesn’t care. She needs everyone to listen.  
She does certainly get most of the refugees’ attention at least, especially as a majority of them easily see her up on the cliff, while the purple cloak flaps in the wind behind her.

“I am Miljana of clan Vlasic and former member of the Ascalon Vanguard, a group that I was proud to be part of for two years until our departure.  
The woman next to me is Devona, formerly a Captain in the Vanguard, and a friend who I have cherished ever since I joined up.”  
As the introductions are done with, even though they weren’t really necessary, she has to gather herself to think of what she truly needs to say here.  
“Two days ago, we lost a valued member of our community and our homeland. He was a person so important that I know a lot of you can feel the grief pouring out from you.  
Our beloved Prince Rurik is gone, the man who had the wisdom and courage to take us out from a hopeless situation in Ascalon. I realize that, for a lot of you, he was a guide, a beacon of hope in these difficult times and for many, he may have been your entire reason to go onwards and see what lies beyond this mountain.”

She can see how several lower their heads, putting hands to their chests in small prayers to the gods, likely in his honor or possibly for themselves and their future. She can’t fault them for any of it.  
“I understand the sorrow and your frustration that accompany these unfortunate events, believe me. Rurik was…more than just a Commander to both of us. He was a friend, ever since the Searing, and a man who trusted us, just as much as we trusted and followed him. Without him, we likely wouldn’t have been able to keep our hopes up for as long as we have.  
The Prince spoke to us quite often and confided in us when he thought that few others would want to listen or understand. When he needed support for the idea of leaving Ascalon, we were the first he thought to ask. Losing such a friend is…difficult to explain.”

Devona takes a deep breath from where she’s standing slightly behind Miljana and crosses her arms. She remains in her position, though, while the ranger continues.  
“However, despite all the sorrow we’ve gained from this loss, we must not let ourselves falter, nor allow it to take our entire focus. There are still important things left to do and quite a trek before we are safe.”  
She shakes her head briefly, letting her arms hang down her sides.  
“I know that none of you want to hear it, as it is difficult to consider, but it is our reality. Despite all that we have suffered, we have no other option than standing back up again, so that we can leave this hellish place.”

Her words has some kind of impact, but most still seem reluctant.  
“I am not going to force any of you to go against your will or wishes, but I am instead here to plead to you – do not remain in these mountains. Do not let yourselves vanish in this river of grief, for neither the Prince nor any friend or family member that you have lost.  
If you will not move for yourselves, then do it for everything else. Do it for the homeland which we have had to leave behind; do it for all the fallen from across the last two years, from both the war and in these harsh climates; do it for Prince Rurik who believed in you all, trusted in you to persist and conquer your doubts.  
Prove to them and yourselves, that you can do better, that you are capable of more than what you may have realized.”

She clenches her fists somewhat as she remains resolute. Everyone’s eyes are trained on her and she sees how several are, perhaps not relinquishing, but at least faltering in their downtrodden attitudes.  
“Are you going to let yourselves give up here? To wither away in the cold and the failures of the past? I can tell you that I certainly will not. I will never allow myself to surrender.”  
The ranger raises her hand and begins to point at them.  
“We are Ascalonians! We are some of the most stubborn and resilient people on Tyria.  
Did we let the Krytans defeat us? Did we let the Orrians crush us? Did we let the charr exterminate us?  
No, we did not! We may not have conquered them, but we have survived their onslaughts, time and time again. Will you allow some snow and vengeful dwarves do what generations of enemies could not? He may be gone, but I am more than certain that Prince Rurik would protest any such claims.”

Lowering her arms, she tries to calm herself again, knowing that she may have to take it easy, both for them and herself.  
“In the morning, I will leave this place and continue my journey to the west. When I do, I hope and wish for as many of you here as possible to stay at my back. If you will let me, I shall be your guide, when no one else can. A new home awaits us in Kryta and I, for one, wants to see it welcome us.”

Between the silence of the people and the howling wind, Miljana steps down from the rocks, while the crowd stares at her. Devona does too, as she remains stunned due to the entire display. Never before has the warrior seen her friend be so talkative in front of a crowd. It simply…did not seem like her type of thing.  
Miljana wanders towards where Nakota is currently seated, keeping her gaze trained on her dear companion as she tries to ignore any stares or questions that others might have. This speech drained enough of her, but at least she tried her best.

Before she actually manages to reach Nakota, however, the mountainside fills with noise from the people. She turns with widened eyes to look at the refugees, as several of them erupt in applause. A sense of relief has settled in among them, that anyone at all dared to break the misery which seemed to have trapped them in its grip.  
Devona appears from behind, planting a gentle hand at Miljana’s shoulder and smiles.  
“It seems they’ve found their new guide after all.”


	12. White charge

The sound of the howling wind upon the Shiverpeaks is usually one of the few noises that inhabitants or travelers are constantly harassed by, as it is prevalent wherever they go. It instills them with an increased worry over the already quite harsh cold climate.  
However, along the southwestern part of the mountains, in an area known as Deldrimor Bowl, a few Ascalonian soldiers hear another sound which fills them with dread – the blowing of a horn.

Miljana, Devona, Nakota and a handful of Ascalonian soldiers decided to act as the forward scouts for the rest of the refugees, who are about a day behind them at this point. It was the ranger who suggested this setup, as she believed they’d be few enough to avoid being seen, but enough of a group to defend themselves against any threat the mountain has to offer, except perhaps from an army. While the latter is debatable, for the former, they did not count on the centaurs. Before they arrived in these lands, the equine people had only been stories to the Ascalonians, mostly from travelers and those who fought in any of the Guild Wars. To actually face any seemed implausible. Unfortunately, Miljana and her group has become all too aware of their capabilities now, which they clearly underestimated.

A dozen of them had charged from what seemed like nowhere, which was actually across a hill to the northwest. As dangerous as they may be, the soldiers are hardy and prepared for a fight at all times, which the centaurs got to experience especially from the arrows that Miljana launched towards them. Once they got close enough, Dev, Nakota and the other scouts descended upon them with swords, claws, axes and maces, unleashing the full fury of Ascalonian might upon their enemies.

After the initial battle, they hoped it would be over, but that's when another horn blare from the top of the hill, showing that the centaurs are far from done. A group of almost the same size as the one just defeated comes rushing down and prepares to defeat what they probably see as intruders upon their land. Miljana would certainly have wanted to negotiate passage if they had been given a chance, but the centaurs have not shown any interest in discussion so far.

Over to the west, perhaps less than a kilometer, they know that the cave opening they can see at the foot of a mountain will eventually lead them all the way into Kryta. They only need to reach and secure it for their people and then they can finally be safe in their new homeland. Or that’s the idea anyway, but it appears that the centaurs want to stop that dream from happening. Due to how the fight is going right now, it does appear like that’s how it will end.

Dev swings her hammer around, trying to do her best to stay at the front and protect any soldiers who aren't as experienced or tough as she is. Her size and prowess make her a prime target, but the centaurs can certainly see that she’s not the only danger. Except for the soldiers who flank those that Dev manages to distract, Miljana and another archer provides vital backup for the melee fighters. The enemy therefore decide to strike at the ranged for now.

As Miljana and the other archer tries to focus on aiding their fellow soldiers, rather than checking the terrain, they get all too startled when arrows start raining down towards them from northeast of their position. A few centaur archers snuck around the hills and trees, and got into good enough positions to ambush them. The other archer falls and only Miljana is left to defend herself. She redirects her attention, which gives the other enemies a good opportunity to try to surround the melee group.

At the front, Dev does her best to protect and aid her friends, felling centaurs by either knocking their legs out or tossing snow up into the faces of certain attackers, so that she can evade the first strike and slam the brunt of her hammer against the rear part of their bodies, where they are fairly vulnerable. Speed is as useful here as strength.  
However, when she attempts to perform the same procedure on the next the spear-wielding centaurs, she sees how the snow suddenly rises into the air and then acts like a shockwave to knock her backwards by several meters. She’s confused only for a moment when she lands, but soon realizes what’s going on – the enemy has got a damn elementalist.

She quickly tries to get back on her feet as she hears the screams from a fellow Ascalonian that is getting attacked. However, just when she rises, she finds herself flanked by two enemies – one from each side – and has to try to dodge strikes from two different spears. She successfully parries and knocks them away for half a minute, before she manages to swipe low and knock at the forelegs on one opponent, but that leaves a gap in her defenses for the other. It appears that the centaur utilizes this chance to stab her right in the back, close to her left shoulder.

Miljana widen her eyes in shock as she hears a cry of pain from Dev and turns just in time to see her friend fall to the ground.  
“No! Devona!”

She tries to grab some arrows to defend her friend, but in her panicked state she forgets to consider the strength of the wind and therefore, her first two arrows completely miss. Before she manages to get another ready, three centaurs are charging up at her position. Normally, she would just knock one or two out with arrows, but the middle of the trio holds a massive wooden shield up, which is enough to mostly protect both of the other two centaurs from the front. It appears they are adapting.  
As they will be upon her in only a few seconds, she has no other choice than to retreat.

Now that she has taken down the archers, she decides to run for the hills to the northeast, hoping that she can somehow find a way to lose them on the other side and get the jump on them. A quick glance over her shoulder doesn’t give her much hope, though, as even in the snow, they are way faster than her. She has no other choice than to continue running, unless she wishes to be gutted on the end of their spears. If only Nakota could help her out, they could find a way to take these bastards together…

However, these fears are suddenly interrupted when battleshouts from another direction, to the southwest, is heard.  
“There they are! White Mantle, forward! For the Unseen Ones! For Kryta!”

Throwing a glance in the direction of the cave, she sees how at least two dozen human soldiers, equipped with heavy armors and long white cloaks, charges in their direction. Some of them wear unfamiliar emblems in red and gold on their chests and Miljana doesn’t recognize any of them. Not that this matters, of course, as the important part is how they act – the soldiers head straight for the centaurs and slash at them with every weapon in their possession, immediately providing backup for Dev and her team.

Miljana wants to see how they’re doing, but her own pursuers don’t seem to stop at the noise of human reinforcements. The ranger simply has to keep running for her life.  
However, another surprise reveals itself for her when she almost reaches the top of the hill.  
From the west, a shadowy figure runs out from underneath some trees and sprints straight towards the centaurs left flank. Because of the shield protecting them, they can hardly see how the figure closes in on their positions and jumps. Whomever it is, they’re quite agile and manages to effectively grab onto a centaur’s back and climb up to sit on it, as one would sit on a horse.

Miljana turns to watch the exchange and is just in time to witness how chaos erupt among her trio of attackers. The figure grabs ahold of the mane of the leftmost spear-wielding centaur, and then unsheathes a blade from their belt, which they dig right into the back of the neck of the enemy they’re seated upon.  
The other two haven't quite stopped yet, but they slow down when they hear and see what happens. They certainly don't seem to have anticipated such a stealthy flanking attack.  
Before they get a chance to move much, though, the figure grabs a knife from some kind of holster on their chest and tosses it at the other spear-wielding centaur, who gets it buried into his neck as well.  
Doing her best to aid her savior, Miljana fires her own arrow straight at the shield-wielding centaur, when he has lowered his equipment far enough for her to bury a shot in his chest.

When all the three centaurs fall, the figure leaps off the foe and lands in a gracefully kneeling position on the ground, in front of their downed enemies. At that time, the hood slips off and Miljana sees a woman underneath, with pale complexion, slightly past-shoulder length black hair tied up into a ponytail that hangs somewhat sideways on the back of her head and brown eyes. She also seems to be dressed in fairly tight black leather armor with a cloth hood attached around her neck and shoulders.  
She smirks a bit confidently as she looks up and eyes Miljana from where she’s kneeling.  
“Cute cloak.”

Miljana blinks at first, surprised by the strange greeting and then arches a brow.  
“Uh, thanks…I guess?”

She immediately turns to look down the hill to see how the rest of the Ascalonians are doing. Thankfully, it looks like the few remaining centaurs are fleeing from the onslaught of the soldiers and Dev gets several of their unexpected allies running up to her and the two other Ascalonians who still live.  
A man in heavy armor and a woman in somewhat lighter equipment without any visible weapons are the first to reach Dev’s position – both of them have medium brown skin, from the looks of it. The man nods at her as Dev is kneeling from the strain, still with a spear poking out from her back.  
“Are you Captain Devona?”

The woman grabs the hilt of the weapon and pulls it out, as Dev grits her teeth to bear the pain.  
“Ugh…yeah, that’d be me.”

Soon after, the woman leans down and pale blue light erupts from her hands as she attempts to magically mend Dev’s wounds. A monk of some kind, it seems.  
The man continues as if nothing has happened.  
“I am Atilio, Knight of the White Mantle. We have come to aid you and escort you into Kryta.”

Dev remains on the ground, still trying to recover from the pain as the monk tries to heal her. She gazes upwards with just one eye and a small smile.  
“Heh, much appreciated. Really saved our hides here. We’ll do our best to pay you back for it.”

Having overheard the conversation, Miljana turns to look at her own savior. She sees how the woman not only looks different from the others, but is also clearly dressed in a completely dissimilar fashion. At this time, she moves over to her kills and pulls out the daggers from each. Miljana clears her throat and lowers her weapon.  
“Uh…thanks for the save back there.”

“No problem. Noticed that the Mantle had your friends covered, so I figured you could use my help.”

“Yeah, I really did. The wind is rarely on my side in these mountains.”

The woman looks somewhat amused.  
“Thankfully, the wind can't do much to stop me, if I have a good enough angle.”

“I don’t doubt it.  
So uh, are you from this White Mantle too?”

Her savior arches a brow and continues to smirk.  
“You see anything white on me?”

“Well, no…”

“Kinda gives it away, right?”

“I dunno. I just figured it might be a name and not anything specific to how they dress.”

“Then I’ve got news for you, cutie – they certainly do! Just look at the silly cloaks they’re wearing below.”  
She shakes her head slightly and holsters her weapons.  
“They’re way too flashy for my taste, but hey, I guess it gives them good cover in the snow.  
As for me, I’m a…third element in this little tale. I’m still here to kill the horse bastards, though. You can call me Sayaki.”

The ranger puts her bow over her shoulder and smiles.  
“Miljana.”

“Mm, I see. That’s a pretty name.”  
She notices how Sayaki quickly eyes her as well, and Miljana can’t help but return the favor. This woman is slightly taller than her and has quite a slim build, but with the stunt she pulled a few minutes earlier, she’s likely fairly strong in one way or another.  
“Do you mind if I help clear the way for you in the tunnel?”

“Not at all, but I’m probably going to join you. Didn’t come all this way just to let someone do the work for me.”

This seems to amuse Sayaki even further.  
“Oh? Well then, let’s see who’s quickest with the kills, shall we?”

“Uh, you realize I have a bow, right?”

Sayaki’s mouth spreads into a grin.  
“If you think that gives you an advantage, you don’t know me very well.”


	13. Cross the world

After about a day’s travel through the system of caverns, clearing out several beasts and a few centaurs, the assembled strike force of various backgrounds finally get to see the sky again on the other side. From this angle, albeit a few miles away, they see a wide green landscape sprawling out ahead of them. They’ve finally reached the edge of Kryta and it cannot be long until they’ll enter it for real.  
For the Ascalonians, it’s an extraordinary feeling beyond what they can explain. It has been ages since they got to see trees and grass that weren’t either decimated or completely surrounded by snow. Even though they still stand among the cold, it gives them hope for the future, that they may have entered some kind of safety.

Evening isn’t far away, however, and they’re forced to set up camps. Two are created – one for the Krytans and one for the Ascalonians. They may be allies for now, but their relationship is still rather shaky, which is why they prefer to be separated.  
While Miljana cooks for the rest of the team, seeing as she’s the one with the best skills for it, someone comes wandering over from the Krytan camp – it’s Sayaki, who holds a small wooden barrel under her arm, with a smile on her lips.  
“Hey there, mind if I camp with you guys?”

Miljana and Devona share a quick glance, before the former speaks up.  
“Uh, no, not at all. Although we figured you might want to stay with the White Mantle.”

“Nah, they’re not really my type. Way too strict and serious.”

Devona looks just a little bit amused.  
“And we’re not?”

“Well, you certainly seem way more relaxed, which is what I prefer. Unless you also demand a prayer to the Unseen Ones before dinner.”

Miljana arches a brow and then smirks slightly.  
“No, nothing like that. We may thank Melandru, but we don’t demand that you say it out loud.”

“Sounds great! This means I can make a trade too. If you give me a piece of whatever you’re cooking, I’ll share of this ale keg I borrowed from the Mantle’s stock.”

The warrior blinks.  
“…what? Borrowed?”

Miljana tilts her head curiously.  
“You stole it, didn’t you?”

A smirk spreads on Saya’s lips.  
“No no, of course not! I wouldn’t do anything so crass. I’ll pay ‘em back later, so it’s fine! Besides, they’ve got a few of these, plus wine, in their cart. They won’t even notice.”

Once more, the two women in charge exchange a look, and then also glances at the other three Ascalonian scouts, who naturally look at them very expectantly. Miljana realizes she’ll have to give in.  
“Alright, I guess we can share. We’re not taking the fall for you, though, if this gets out.”

“Are you kidding? You’ll totally be complicit in this crime as soon as you take a sip.”

Dev chuckles.  
“I guess it’s worth it. Haven’t had anything other than water to drink for weeks.”

“Shit, you must be parched then. I’m happy to be the savior for your dreary booze-less day!”

The group all get some mugs out, so that they can each receive at least one portion of what the barrel holds. Won’t be much more than that, but they’re happy for anything. The dwarves were glad to share theirs when the Ascalonians were present as guests, but it’s been a while since they were in such company.  
Dev breathes out in some sense of relief when she takes her first large sip.  
“Oh…by the Five, you’re a lifesaver. Never thought I’d taste ale again after all the travelling we’ve done in the mountains.”

Miljana smirks, also seeming satisfied, but not as overwhelmed by it.  
“Sorry about my friend here – she’s a bit overdramatic.”

Saya merely laughs.  
“No need, I get how she feels. Although, I will admit it’s not exactly the best ale I’ve ever tasted, but I guess you guys can’t be picky.  
So, is it true what they told me? You’re from Ascalon?”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s the first time for all of us outside of our homeland. Not that we have much of a choice, though…”

Saya nods solemnly.  
“Mm, I heard about that. Quite…depressing news. The charr really burned your whole nation down?”

As Dev sighs, most of the group appears quite dismayed as well. It’s clear that they have all endured a lot of hardship.  
“Pretty much. Not all of it through fire, I guess. Some of it was through explosions and other foul magic.”

Miljana inclines her head as she looks down into the pot she’s stirring with some kind of wooden ladle.  
“We tried to hold on for quite a while, but there’s hardly any lands left to even do farming, which is why we had to leave.”

Saya is sitting down now, her legs crossed, and she has placed her mug in between them. She fidgets a bit with her hands.  
“Damn, that’s-…I don’t even know what to say. It’s…awful. You guys are the first ones from Ascalon I’ve ever encountered, and I had hoped to maybe see it for myself one day, but I suppose that’s not possible anymore.”

“Yeah, not unless you wish to go straight into a warzone.”

She raises a hand to scratch at her cheek, wondering if she should move the conversation ahead a little.  
“Well, at least you’re alive, right? That’s something. I hear there are others with you?”

Dev nods curtly.  
“Yes, we have a few thousand people with us, mostly civilians. They’re refugees from all over Ascalon, who’s just trying to escape the devastation. They’re about a day behind us, I think.”

“Are they following you or something?”

The ranger looks up from what she’s cooking and seeing how it’s almost finished by now, she begins gathering up their bowls to pour up the stew.  
“Mhm. We sent one of our people back, a scout, who will tell the others that the road ahead is safe. Captain Greywind is the man we left in charge.”

Saya seems curious of this.  
“Captain? Are you part of the military?”

“Uh, sort of. We used to be, anyway.”

Dev smiles somewhat wistfully.  
“When you leave your country behind, you can’t really claim to be part of the army any longer.”

She can at least understand that much. They clearly did what was necessary.  
“Well, are you the forward scouts then or something?”

Miljana moves towards her, as the last one to get a warm bowl of stew and a spoon.  
“Pretty much. We’re at least leading the way.”

Dev turns to look at her with a slight smirk, before she nudges her shoulder into Miljana’s arm.  
“She’s just being modest. Miljana here is actually our leader.”

“Ooh?”

The ranger rolls her eyes.  
“It…it doesn’t work like that. Our true leader, Prince Rurik, died in the mountains. He was killed by a group of hostile dwarves. A lot of our civilians were dismayed afterwards and I-…well, I just told them I’d help lead the way, so we could actually get anywhere.”

Dev smiles gently.  
“And we all chose to follow. I think that makes you the leader.”

The other three Ascalonians nod in agreement, while she simply groans to show her distaste for it.  
Saya on the other hand, seems quite amused.  
“So, you’re not just a pretty good shot with the bow, but the General too, huh? That’s cool.”

“…I’m not a General.”

“Still, it’s pretty admirable what you’re doing. And besides, women in charge are pretty hot.”

Both of the other women appear somewhat surprised of her statement, before Miljana smiles a bit shyly and shakes her head.  
“Well, whatever you think about it, I’m not used to people telling me to lead. I just wanted to help.”

“Maybe you can do that best by giving orders. Some people need that stuff, you know. Have someone show them the way.”

Dev has begun to eat, as have the others, but she stops to continue the conversation as well.  
“That has been the case with most of us after all that has happened. We don’t really care about ranks anymore, and the one with the best plan is the one to guide us.”

Miljana sighs.  
“Yeah, okay. So, everyone’s lives are now depending on me. No pressure.”

“I’m sure you can take it!”

For a few moments after this, it goes quiet as they all want to get a few chunks of the stew in them. They’re quite hungry after walking and fighting all day.  
While the three other Ascalonians start their own conversation, Miljana wants to take the first discussion elsewhere, and therefore looks at Saya with renewed interest.  
“So, where in Kryta are you from?”

Saya blinks in confusion.  
“Who, me?”  
She shakes her head.  
“I’m not from Kryta.”

“You’re not? Sorry, I just…assumed, since you’re here with the White Mantle.”

“Yeah, I understand why you might’ve thought as much, but no, I’m not from around these parts. I’m born in Cantha.”

Both of the other women look surprised then.  
“Wait, what? Cantha? But that’s…miles from here.”

“Yup.”

Dev chews on a chunk of dolyak meat before she poses another question.  
“How…did you get here? Did you sail all this way?”

“Mhm.”

“That must’ve taken you ages.”

“Well, it’s not as far as you might think. I mean, it does take a few weeks, yes, but it’s not like it’s on the other side of the world or anything.”

Neither of the Ascalonians have a very wide knowledge of geography, so, for them, it might as well be. All they’ve heard is that there's a giant ocean in between the Tyrian continent and Cantha.  
Miljana looks even more curious then.  
“So, why did you come all this way? Are you…some kind of explorer?”

“Not really.”

Dev tilts her head.  
“A merchant?”

“Nope.”

“Some sort of…runaway?”

“Heh, no, not that either. I suppose calling me an ‘adventurer’ might be appropriate, but I prefer just being called a traveler, really. I like to see new places, meet new people and wander, so it seems quite suitable to me.”

Miljana eyes her for a moment.  
“You’re quite well-armed for a wanderer, though.”

This amuses Saya.  
“Yeah, so are you.”

“We used to be in the army, so I don’t think that’s a surprise.”

Saya chuckles.  
“Fair enough. I suppose I’m not just a traveler. I find combat quite exciting and I tend to seek it out occasionally. That’s why I’m working for Atilio’s group for the time being.”

Dev seems to comprehend it now and nods.  
“Ah, you’re a mercenary.”

“Among other things, yeah. He and the other knights saw my skills during a clash with some bandits a few weeks back, when those scumbags attacked a village I was staying in. The Mantle wondered if I was for hire. Hadn’t thought about it at the time, but I figured I could use some coins, so I accepted.”

Miljana eats a bit more of her stew and washes it down with some ale before she speaks.  
“The kind of fighting you did earlier, it was quite…unorthodox. Certainly not something we learn in the army. You’re very fast and agile.”

Saya grins slightly.  
“Thanks for noticing. And no, I’m not trained by any military. I found my own ways.”

The rangers get the sense that this Canthan woman, whoever she actually is, isn’t quite willing to reveal everything. But why would she? They’re complete strangers so far.  
“Well, the Mantle mentioned they’d take us to some place called ‘Lion’s Arch’. Will you be coming with us?”

“Of course. They’ve paid me to escort you back into a safe place, so I’m glad to keep you company until then. The Mantle isn’t very fun to be around, after all.”

Dev nudges her arm a little.  
“That works for us, but try not to eat all of our supplies before then, okay?”

Saya smiles wryly at her.  
“Don’t think there’s any need to worry about that, but since you mention it now, I think I’m definitely gonna try.”

“Dammit!”

Miljana looks glad as well, as she feels like she’ll probably have a lot of questions for this new and quite exciting companion.


	14. Lay of the land

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Whenever I write these calmer chapters with more dialogue (which is most of the time), I tend to listen to[Temple of Tolerance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDAhdtbToFg) from the OST._

The prosperous lands of Kryta. After having travelled through the cold of the Shiverpeak mountains for weeks, possibly even a few months, the Ascalonians have finally reached their destination and are able to feel the welcoming sensations of pleasantly warm breezes and sights of greenery. Sure, this country is very different from the temperate region that Ascalon was before, but with their old homeland being completely devastated, this is certainly an improvement. Unfortunately, their arrival wasn’t quite what they’d hoped.

An obstacle immediately presented itself, which they were informed by White Mantle representatives – apparently, large groups of undead have been attacking villages all over. This menace was something the Ascalonians had to endure too, when they were attacked early on yesterday. Fortunately, neither of them are inexperienced when it comes to battling such creatures, as they encountered some of those back home, before the Searing.  
It has apparently become so dangerous now that the capital has been shut and most of the few settlements they have wandered past have not been able to welcome them, in fear of possible infections or other things that such creatures might drag with them. Without much other guidance, Miljana and Devona are forced to turn to their escort.

As they leave a village in the eastern section of Kryta, called Scoundrel’s Rise, the trio walks together across sandy dunes, past palm trees and large rocks. The smell of the sea is in the air, which is probably not all too distant at this point. The remaining members of their forward scouting team has been sent back to reinforce the defenses around the refugees and inform Captain Greywind of what has transpired.  
Miljana walks with Nakota right in front of her, and turns her eyes in Sayaki’s direction, to the left. The rogue, or whatever she is, has discarded a few pieces of clothing, which probably suits the climate better.

“So, do you have any idea of what this undead outbreak is about?”

Currently, more of Saya’s skin is showing because she’s not wearing her hood nor the armor that covers her arms. This also means that her weapons are on display, which may be a precaution for the future.  
“Not really. I mean, I haven’t investigated it, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Have you heard anything about it in general, though?”

“Only what the White Mantle representatives have told me. I think someone mentioned that they rose from a swamp to the west, but no one seems to have any knowledge of their origin.”

Dev arches a questioning brow, feeling skeptical about their ignorance of such a thing.  
“That’s as far as they go? Don’t they have any catacombs in that region or anything? That’s where ours came from.”

“Maybe? I dunno, you’d have to ask one of the locals. I wasn’t that interested at the time, as I can usually avoid those monsters.  
Before we reached you guys, I overheard some soldiers gossiping about some kind of curse, which made the Orrian people rise from the ocean after the fall of their nation by the charr, but that just sounds like gibberish. If that was true, how come to the undead are rising from the west and not the south?”

Miljana shrugs.  
“They seem to be all over this land. Perhaps they’ve appeared in multiple places?”

“Hey, anything is possible, I guess. Like I said, I haven’t really paid much attention. It’s not my job to fight them anyway. I’m not paid for it and I wouldn’t take that kind of assignment even if it was.”

“True enough, although me and Devona may be forced to do so, now that Kryta is becoming our homeland.”

Dev looks somewhat troubled at that prospect too.  
“Yeah, it’s a kind of threat that could increase substantially when our people fully arrive. We’ve already dealt with too much death in Ascalon. Don’t want this to become another bloodbath.”

Saya appears a little bit more understanding at this point.  
“That…makes sense, I guess. You’d have to speak with some of the officials if you want to know more, anyway.”

“Aren’t there any royal representatives who might send out information or something? Surely they’d want to let as many people know of the dangers as possible”, Miljana ponders.

Saya blinks for a moment.  
“Royal representatives?”

“Or whomever is in charge. Unless the military handles this.”

“Uh…you guys don’t know much about what happens in Kryta, do you?”

Dev shakes her head.  
“Obviously not, since we just arrived. Is there something we’ve missed?”

Saya sighs briefly and scratches a hand through her hair.  
“Yeah, seems like it. Maybe I should get you up to speed about the political situation here, so you don’t start to offend people.”

Miljana nods in agreement.  
“That would be nice. Because of the war against the charr, we were kind of cut off from the rest of the world regarding news.”

“Alright, well, first of all – the White Mantle isn’t just the army or anything like that. I mean, they do have an army, but they’re also the current leaders of Kryta.”

“Really? How did that happen?”

“I don’t know all the details, as I arrived a month or two after the fact, but from what the official news said, intertwined with some rumors, the royal family fled when it seemed like Kryta would lose the war against the charr. I suppose they were frightened by the reports citing the success that the charr was having against Ascalon and Orr.  
The Mantle mentioned how they, along with their deities which they refer to as ‘the Unseen Ones’, fought and repelled the charr army, saving all of Kryta. Afterwards, they denounced the royal family as cowards and traitors, naming them enemies of the land. This was some two or three years ago, I think, and they’ve been in charge ever since.”

Dev folds her arms, scowling in thought.  
“Huh. That’s quite a change as well, even if not as bad as we had. Still, didn’t the King or Queen fight back? Did they not have forces of their own?”

“Of course they did – the Lionguard. However, much of their numbers had diminished during a combination of the last Guild War and then massive losses in the initial attack by the charr.  
When the White Mantle won and the royal family had fled or died, or whatever happened to them, there wasn’t really anyone around to oppose them.”

Miljana tilts her head curiously.  
“You make it sound like a coup.”

“Eh, maybe. That’s not quite what I meant, but I don’t actually know the details. The Mantle call themselves the heroes of Kryta anyway, and not many people oppose their claim. Not openly anyhow.”

“So, this ‘Lionguard’ doesn’t exist anymore?”

“Oh no, they do, but they have different duties than before. Nowadays, they do nothing more than guard the capital – Lion’s Arch – and the occasional roads and villages nearby. They’re fairly diminished from what they apparently used to be. People in that group are alright, though. I’ve taken a few jobs from them in the past.”

The two Ascalonians try to absorb this information, making sure to remember it, as they’ll likely need it in the future.  
“Any other faction we should know about around here? In case we make more mistakes”, Dev inquiries.

Saya raises a hand to scratch at her chin.  
“Hmm, not that I can-  
Oh, hold on. I guess there’s also the Shining Blade?”

“The Shining Blade?”

“Yeah, they’re a group operating in the shadows of western Kryta, for the most part. I don’t know much about them, but some call them rebels, while others say they’re nothing more than a group of bandits.”

Miljana and Dev share a quick and interested look, before turning back to Saya.  
“Rebels? Makes it sound like someone is fighting the White Mantle after all”, Miljana comments.

Saya shrugs a bit nonchalantly.  
“Yeah, I guess. Haven’t really asked much about them, nor have I had to fight them, thankfully.”

Dev folds her arms.  
“Does it not pay well to fight them?”

“It pays alright, I believe, but it’s in territories which are far riskier than the eastern section of Kryta, close to a place called the Maguuma Jungle. All kinds of dangers out there, and not just from the people. I prefer to keep away from that.”

They understand why she would say this, even if they find themselves fairly curious. Miljana figures it might be an advantage to understand any dangers their own people will have to face.  
“They don’t interest you at all?”

“Not really. I don’t know much about 'em, nor do I care. I’ve heard that the Shining Blade can get pretty nasty, but I don’t know how truthful the official accounts are. If there’s an internal war in Kryta, I’d prefer to stay away. Not my business.”

Miljana smirks slightly.  
“Just here for the adventure, huh?”

“Pretty much. You know how it is – the exciting experiences, the good food, the interesting people…”  
The rogue turns her attention towards Miljana and slowly eyes her figure.  
“…the gorgeous views.”

The ranger’s smirk widens and she tilts her head.  
“Uh-huh.”

Saya gets a similar expression on her own features.  
“Tsk, don’t gimme that look! I was talking about this big, cute kitty of yours, obviously.”  
She hurries up to Nakota, gently patting and scratching the stalker’s ears. It appears the feline enjoys this treatment.  
“Mm, you like that, huh? Of course you do.”

Miljana leans her head back and erupts into a gentle laughter.  
“Sure you were. There’s nothing else at all that would interest you, of course.”

“Obviously not!”

Dev smiles as she glances between them, choosing not to voice her observations. She’s glad to witness Miljana laughing again, as she hasn’t seen her do much of that lately. In fact, it’s been quite a while since she has heard any proper joyous sounds from her friend. Hopefully, that’s about to change when they find new homes.


	15. At a home unlike the past

The tight crowds, loud noises, complex streets, tall buildings and thick walls – it’s all rather reminiscent of home. Now that the dangerous presence of the undead has dispersed at least a little, the trio of travelers find themselves within the city that they had heard so much about before arriving. They were unsure if they would actually be let inside, but the letters handed to them by Krytan ambassadors were enough to work as a permit.  
While Devona tries to find some place for them to stay at during the night, Miljana and Sayaki have wandered off for a bit and move towards one of the hills within the city, to get a better view of the area. As approach one of the platform nearby, Nakota lies down on the ground and quickly dozes off.  
The sight of so many people in the vicinity brings a smile to Miljana’s lips.  
“So, this is Lion’s Arch, huh? Pretty impressive.”

Sayaki folds her arms and leans back against one of the small pillars that pokes up from the ground. She does view the sights below for a little bit, but her eyes are more focused upon her companion.  
“Yeah, if you’re into this sort of thing, I guess.”

“I’m not much of a city person, but I’ve always found them to be quite fascinating. The design of the buildings, the amount work going on everywhere and the fact that so many people can live together in one location...”  
She smiles and shakes her head.  
“It’s weird, but it reminds me of Ascalon City.”

Saya tilts her own head curiously then.  
“Is that your capital?”

“No, it is-“ Her smile falters somewhat when she realizes what she was about to say, before adjusting. “…was our biggest city, before the fall of our nation.”  
Her eyes seem to turn distant as she looks out across the streets.  
“I remember walking among the massive crowds for the first time, so many years ago. I was born and raised in the forest, with a rather small community. Taking my first steps into a city like this was…overwhelming. However, it was exciting at the same time, to see and experience a place so different from my own home.”

While she can’t quite relate, Saya still finds it interesting to hear of Miljana’s past life.  
“Did it look much like Lion’s Arch then?”

“Not exactly. I mean, the sizes were comparable, I suppose, although the design is different. Ascalonian buildings consist of more white stone, often with brown or red roofs, and they also tend to be much taller. Ascalon City especially had some pretty impressive towers.”  
She shifts her gaze towards the south.  
“However, our port was much smaller than this place. It wasn’t located by the edge of an ocean, though, and most trade came from the land routes, not sea ones.”

“Well, yeah, that makes sense.  
Personally, I don’t tend to get that overwhelmed by this place. Actually, it’s kinda relaxing, in a way. Not as ‘impressive’, perhaps, but that doesn’t mean I can’t like it.”

Being rather intrigued by that statement, Miljana turns to look at her.  
“You’ve seen better?”

“Uh, ‘better’ is probably subjective, but I’ve seen bigger, that’s for sure. Back home, that is.”

Miljana closes the distance between them by walking to a seat at Saya’s side, sitting down upon the small brick wall at the edge of this platform and rests her hands against it.  
“Now you’ve got my attention. Mind telling me a little bit about it?”

Saya arches a questioning brow.  
“I guess I don’t, but why would you be interested in that?”

“I hardly know anything about Cantha. All we were ever told in Ascalon was that it’s a very old nation and that you live far across the ocean.”

“Never had any Canthan visitors?”

She briefly shakes her head.  
“Not where I lived. I did hear that the last King once had a Canthan delegation at his castle, but that was way before my time.”

It does make sense that there would be so little contact with a nation that is virtually landlocked, and Saya figures that it may be fair to tell the ranger a little bit of her home at least. She smiles and steps away from the pillar, beginning to pace somewhat ahead of where Miljana is sitting.  
“Alright, I suppose I can relinquish a bit of information, but only because you’re the one asking.”

This makes Miljana smirk and she snorts amusedly.  
“I’m flattered.”

“You should be”, she says, with a quick wink.  
“Anyway, Cantha is pretty old, yeah – both as a continent and as a nation. The Empire of the Dragon was, and still is, the first human nation; or that’s what all the propaganda says, anyway. Basically, it’s ancient.”

“Empire? It’s that big?”

Saya shrugs.  
“Well, I suppose that depends how you look at it. Certain estimates say that it’s of the same size as Kryta and Ascalon combined, but I’m not sure if it’s the truth or not.”

“Oh, wow. Yeah, that would make it fairly large.”

“Meh, I don’t really care that much. The guys at the top always wants to brag how much better they are than everyone else.  
I come from the capital city of the Empire, a place known as Kaineng City. In terms of size, it’s…well, way bigger than this. The city covers a pretty big chunk out of the entire continent, as it has just kept expanding throughout the centuries.”

Miljana nods, crossing her legs as she listens intently.  
“What’s it like? In comparison to Lion’s Arch, I mean.”

Saya turns her gaze outwards, trying to measure with the memory of her home.  
“Very different. The buildings are a lot taller, as several homes are stacked on top of each other and the roads are much tighter too. Some bridges and paths even go across rooftops, leading up to platforms that people need to use to reach different levels.”

Miljana smiles as she tries to visualize it.  
“Whoa, that sounds really impressive. I’m not sure I can even imagine something like that.”

However, Saya sighs instead.  
“Yeah, but unfortunately, it can sometimes turn to overpopulation and a way larger collection of criminal activity too. That latter part can be especially troublesome.”

Miljana angles her head and watches Saya curiously.  
“Sounds like you’ve got personal experience of this.”

Saya looks at her doubtfully at first, but then shrugs, pretending like it doesn’t bother her.  
“Yeah, I guess I do. I used to be part of a pretty big one.”

“A guild?”

“Well…you could call them that, as they certainly did in official channels, but I’d rather classify them as a gang. Seems more suitable.”  
She crosses her arms again, diverting her eyes elsewhere while trying to recall a past she has tried to put behind her.  
“They’re known as the ‘Am Fah’. It’s from some kind of ancient tongue, and I can’t remember what it means.”

Hearing this, Miljana actually looks somewhat surprised.  
“So, you were part of a criminal gang?”

“Mhm. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I…I don’t know. You just don’t seem like the type, I suppose.”

This brings a smirk to Saya’s lips.  
“Really? I think some people back home would say otherwise.”  
She looks down and pushes her shoe into the ground beneath, casually kicking away a few rocks.  
“I’ve lived a fairly tough life and it has forced me to do some things that I haven’t always been entirely proud of. Had to train my own combat skills too, as no one gives you anything for free on the streets of Kaineng.”

Miljana isn’t sure what to say at first. Obviously, they’ve had very different pasts, but it sort of makes her sorry to hear that Saya has had to struggle. Then again, she doesn’t actually know what life is like over there.  
“That sounds pretty rough. If you were in a gang, though, does that make you a thug?”

Saya swiftly turns to stare at her, almost looking offended.  
“Hey now, let’s not use words like that! I wasn’t some common pickpocket or robber - my skills were far above such simple tasks. My abilities were utilized for way more specialized assignments.”

“Specialized? Like what?”

“Well, you know…”  
She clears her throat a bit.  
“Stuff like, infiltration, spying…coordinated attacks on enemy outposts.”

Now this was another side she certainly hadn’t anticipated. Miljana gives her a very skeptical gaze then.  
“Uh, right. What kind of attacks are we talking about exactly? Assaults?”

Not wanting to hide the truth, Saya attempts to lock their eyes together.  
“Assassination, for the most part.”

“…shit.”

“Yeah.”

Miljana isn’t quite sure what to believe. It would be hard for her to judge anyone, especially when considering what she herself has done against her enemies. Somehow, though, it doesn’t sound like they lived in the same kind of chaos.  
“What sort of enemies would a gang have? Did you kill guards and civilians or what?”

“Well, no, I usually refused such assignments. I tended to take the jobs that focused on our rivals. My style of fighting was useful against other gangs, especially the other big group - the Jade Brotherhood - but an assortment of minor ones was just as readily targeted by my superiors.”

The ranger gives Saya a thoughtful look. She doesn’t want to be too critical, especially as she hardly knows the circumstances.  
“That…must’ve been difficult.”

“You could say that. In my youth, I had seen war in certain parts of the Empire, when our people fought the tengu, but even so, I think the war on the streets has always been worse. Not in the sense of massive battles or anything, but in how much people suffered, how dirty tricks were used to gain resources, turfs or allegiances and how often betrayals occurred. I was too young to fight the tengu, but I certainly endured the dangers of the streets.”

Miljana slowly shakes her head.  
“I’ve never experienced anything quite like that, not in any civilized parts of Ascalon.  
Why did you leave that life behind, though? Did you just get tired of it, or what?”

Saya seems to consider it for a moment, then shrugs and sighs a bit.  
“Mm, I suppose that was part of it, but not everything. I mean, I wanted a way out for many years, but it wasn’t just about all the shit I saw happening. I think the toughest thing about working in a big gang like the Am Fah is all the rivals you have to deal with.”

“Rivals?”

“Yeah. The more dangerous and skillful you get, the more your enemies stack up – both from outside and within the gang. There’s always some rival who wants to take your place or get the glory and reputation of taking you down. Eventually, people started eyeing me for assassination as well, and the situation got too dangerous for me.”

“What did you do?”

Saya smiles at her and spreads her arms to gesture at the area.  
“I did the obvious thing, of course – I left. It was definitely not a seamless act. When people realized what I was about to do, they came after me immediately and some almost managed to kill me. Fortunately, I was damn good at my job, so I took them down first.  
After that, I booked the first ship out of Bejunkan Pier and sailed off to Kryta.”

While it’s certainly a very different way of doing things compared to the Ascalonians, it’s somewhat funny for her to think that she and Saya actually took similar departures out of their homelands, both ending up in Kryta.  
“By the sound of it, I feel like you made the right decision.”

Saya snorts and nods curtly.  
“Yeah, I can’t say I disagree. Not that my life has been easy in Kryta or anything, but at least I don’t have to constantly watch my back or keep a knife under my pillow every night. I mean, I still do, but old habits die hard.”

She doesn’t know whether she should laugh or not at that statement, but Miljana still smiles to show it doesn’t worry her. She certainly knows a lot about being cautious – Ascalon hadn’t been a safe place to live in, since before the Searing.  
“So…an assassin, huh? You must be a fairly dangerous woman, then.”

Saya curiously arches a brow and smiles somewhat mischievously.  
“Maybe. What about it?”  
Her smile widens as she takes a few steps closer and her voice turns slightly suggestive.  
“Is that your type, hmm? Enjoy a bit of danger in your life?”

Miljana rolls her eyes and then looks away, but she can’t help the shy expression on her lips.  
“I didn’t say that. I just felt it was quite…intriguing, that’s all.”

She displays a small grin then, as she pokes her foot against Miljana’s.  
“Well hey, if you’re that interested, I’d be more than happy to swap stories someday. Maybe over dinner?”

“Tsk, don’t believe I’m that easy to charm, do you?”

“You don't know until you've heard what I have to say. I remember how impressed you were of my stunt against the centaurs, but that wasn't even close to the amazing stuff I've done in the past. You won't wanna miss it.”

Miljana isn’t certain if she should really allow continued blatant flirting like this, but a part of her is very intrigued how far it will go. Sayaki isn’t the kind of person she had expected to meet in Kryta.  
“Are you sure you can afford something like that? I might have expensive tastes.”

“Even if you do, I have a feeling you’re more than worth the price.”

Miljana chuckles to hide some of her embarrassment – she isn’t all too used to this kind of treatment.  
“Very well, I’ll give you a chance to prove me wrong.”


	16. Rejecting integration

A few weeks have passed by since the Ascalonians arrived in Kryta, their new home. During that time, Miljana, Devona and their Canthan companion, Sayaki, have been aiding the White Mantle’s efforts in trying to fight off the undead threat that seems to be getting worse for every day that goes by. They get reports from villages and towns in many parts of the land and this doesn’t really improve when the refugees from Ascalon needs to find a place to stay.  
Thanks to a swift decision on the Mantle’s part, they have received a piece of land to settle, and while buildings and defenses are being constructed, there’s still quite a while to go before they can properly call it a home. For the time being, Ander Greywind, former Captain of the army, has been left in charge. Most villagers seem to trust him anyway.

As neither Dev nor Miljana are particularly useful when it comes to building or farming, they’ve tried to focus what they are adept at – fighting. While they do combat the undead whenever they see the creatures, they mostly do so around the area close to their settlement.  
However, it appears that their success has gained the attention of someone important in the White Mantle, as they have been invited into a place a few miles south of their settlement, which the locals call the ‘Temple of Tolerance’.  
On the way here, Saya expressed concern about this venture, as she believes speaking with important members of the Mantle might not be what she signed up for. If they ask too much of her, she’ll likely want to decline. Despite her reluctance, she has not yet left their side, even though she could have done so at any time.

Wandering through the gates to the facility, it certainly looks like a fascinating area, and a lot more fortified than what they might’ve expected from a ‘temple’. Saya points out to them that the White Mantle is rather militant, after all, and see themselves as more than just a religious organization, which does seem like a reasonable explanation.  
The knights escorting them through it eventually takes them to a platform quite far inside the courtyard, where they see a few other Mantle knights, along with a man dressed in a fairly different outfit.

In the center, they see someone not in armor, but ornate and probably quite expensive clothes. His pants, shirt and long cloak are mostly in white and red colors, but the edges are decorated with gold. The hat or crown, or whatever he has on his head, has the same white and gold. To the Ascalonian duo, it does make him seem as if he’s aspiring to nobility or even royalty, but they choose not to comment.  
His grey beard looks to be quite finely trimmed, present but not to an extent that would make it seem bushy. In his hand, he holds a wooden staff, also painted in white.

Once they get close enough, he inclines his head in greeting.  
“And so you finally arrive. Welcome to the Temple of Tolerance, travelers from Ascalon. I am Confessor Dorian.”

Miljana and Dev throws each other a quick glance before they bow their heads slightly, as they figure it’s probably enough to show respect. Saya merely folds her arms.  
“Thank you, Confessor. I am Miljana of clan Vlasic and these two are my companions, Devona and Sayaki.”

Dev displays a small but polite smile.  
“Thank you for the invitation, sir.”

Saya doesn’t say anything, but Dorian doesn’t seem to expect it from her either.  
“I wanted to get a chance to meet our new citizens in person, which is why it seemed appropriate to ask you to come here.”

“Are you the leader of the White Mantle?”, Miljana asks.

“You could say that I am, if you prefer, but it would not quite be the truth.”  
As he starts to walk around the platform, Miljana tries to observe their surroundings, noting that most of the other Mantle members here in the courtyard are both armed and in heavy armor. There are a few further away who don’t seem to be soldiers, but they appear to be in the minority. Quite far from the old abbeys back home.  
“It would be more accurate to instead call me a conduit for the Unseen Ones’ will, who are in fact our true leaders.”

The name of their gods, or whatever they are, is still a little bit worrying to Dev and Miljana. Even after being here a few weeks, they haven’t been told much of the identity of the Unseen Ones, or what they represent. Secretive deities don’t sound like the best way to gain followers. Then again, it’s the Ascalonians who are the outsiders here, so perhaps it would be unfair to judge the Krytans’ beliefs.  
“I see. I apologize if I sounded ignorant for asking about it.”

He smiles rather gently and shakes his head.  
“No apology is necessary, young one. Questions are good and we welcome them.  
Tell me, how are you and your people enjoying Kryta so far? Are you comfortable?”

“Well, I guess comfort may be an issue that we’ll have to deal with later, but I can certainly say that we are relieved”, Dev explains.  
“After having lived through a nightmare in our former homeland for the past two years, coming to a land filled with greenery, opportunity and chances to rebuild…well, it has given our people hope.”

“Very good to hear. You may be outsiders, but we hope that you will one day see yourselves as Krytans, just as much as anyone native to our land.”

Miljana looks skeptical and shrugs.  
“Not sure we’ll ever forget Ascalon, but we can certainly say that calling Kryta home would be something we all want.”

“As should be expected, of course.”  
He takes a moment to survey each of the three, even Saya for some reason.  
“It is fascinating to see you like this as well. Our knights and other faithful have told me of how valiantly you have fought and defeated the undead in your path.  
I must admit that we did not expect such remarkable fighting skills from any of your people, but it is certainly a welcoming benefit against our foe.”

Dev arches an eyebrow.  
“You didn’t think we’d be able to fight them? We’ve been waging war against the charr for years.”

“Yes, of course, but we assumed that most of those who chose to flee would be civilians. Not that we are ungrateful, far from it. We welcome new defenders of Kryta.  
In fact, that is the very reason I have invited you here today.”

A choice of words that can be either positive or quite alarming. Is there something else expected of them?  
“Really? You have…a job for us, perhaps?”, Miljana asks.

He seems thoughtful for a moment and nods slowly.  
“In a way, but I want to offer something more meaningful than mere gold; something I hope that you will take to heart.  
I have decided to offer you an induction into our organization and give you the chance to join the White Mantle.”

They’re taken aback by his offer, all three of them widening her eyes.  
Saya points at herself in shock.  
“Wait, me too?”

“Yes, of course. You have already proven yourself, miss Sayaki and it seemed like the appropriate time to extend the same proposal to you.”

Miljana tries to see his angle and understand why he’d ask this of them. She expected a job, not to become one of them.  
“But why us? We’re new to Kryta, not even properly integrated yet.”

He lifts a hand to dismiss the notion.  
“That is not what matters, miss Vlasic. You and your two companions have shown something far greater to us. Your courage, strength and sense of duty exemplifies exactly what the White Mantle stands for. We always welcome new members into our ranks and allowing you to join us would be a good step to show both of our peoples that you are all here to stay and stand ready to do everything to protect not just your own, but all Krytans.”

Out of the three, Saya is the one who appears the most skeptical of this. She even takes a step back and clearly doesn’t intend to accept it, but she lets the other two speak first and allow them to say their piece.  
The duo exchanges glances again, both looking unsure of how they should approach the issue. They also wish to study each other and see which way they’re leaning, but quickly realize that they’re on the same page. The hard part will be delivering it without offending the Confessor.

Like most of the time, this task is given to Miljana, who shrugs and then clears her throat.  
“Confessor, your offer is…appreciated and we are honored that you think so highly of us.  
We also admire your organization’s passion and how eager all of your members have shown to be in protecting our refugees.”

Dorian watches them and raises a hand to caress his beard in thought.  
“Somehow, I sense a ‘but’ coming at the end of your sentence.”

She sighs and nods curtly.  
“You’re correct, because we unfortunately have to decline.”

Despite that it seemed obvious after what she just said, he does appear mildly surprised.  
“It is unusual for anyone to reject this offer, especially when it gives you the chance to further protect your own people. May I ask why?”

“Of course, and there are a few reasons why we have to do so.”

“Very well, I will listen.”

She takes a deep breath and tries to gather her thoughts before starting.  
“Our first concern regards the political situation of your nation. We have heard of certain…rebel elements, which strike out against your outposts and make demands that we are not very familiar with. We realize that you might try to give us increased security, but it is still quite a risk for us to endanger the other Ascalonians, before we know how safe they are. This is why it would probably be best to stay out of your organization. At least for now.”

“Hmm. One might say that it would be wiser, at that time, to gather further allies to keep the refugees safe, but I suppose your reason is understandable.”

She nods once more.  
“Thank you. However, there’s more.  
Our second is related to the first one. As we are new here, me and Devona would prefer to keep our independence. We suspect that miss Sayaki feels the same.”

Saya quickly nods to show her agreement.  
“Yup, pretty much.”

“And the third reason is also pretty simple. I do not wish to sound rude and I hope you will understand, but…well, me and Devona cannot share your belief in the Unseen Ones. We still keep our own faith, and despite understanding that the White Mantle might be more than that, we cannot devote ourselves to something that we do not yet comprehend at the same level as you.”

Dorian ponders her response for a few moments, studying them as he does. While none of the knights show any signs of hostility or being offended, the trio still wonders if it was an unwise decision to say it right to their faces. However, Miljana believes in being honest, even about something like this. Saya might’ve disagreed, though.  
“Well, it is your decision, of course. While I find it regrettable, we will not force our faith on neither you, nor the other Ascalonians.  
All I can hope for is that the actions of the White Mantle and the Unseen Ones will eventually lead you onto the right path.”

They choose not to comment directly, but both of the Ascalonians inwardly doubt anything like that will occur. Despite having felt so much loss through the past two years, their faith in the Five Gods is still strong. The Mantle may reject them, but neither Miljana nor Devona are as quick to do so.  
“We are thankful that you are as understanding, Confessor. You are an honorable man.”

He smiles, but somehow, it doesn’t seem quite as warm as before.  
“I try my best. However, as to your independence, I wonder if we can perhaps still find a way to work together.  
Would you possibly be interested in contracts as freelancers? Your Canthan friend here has already experienced what it means in Kryta and I would extend this proposal to you as well.”

Dev tilts her head curiously.  
“You’d still want us to fight with you, despite not wanting to join you?”

“Of course. Your level of skill remains substantial and something we would sorely need at this time. There are many dangers that threaten our people and any aid is welcome.”

Miljana displays a smile as well then and takes a step forward.  
“Well, this is an offer we cannot refuse, Confessor. We are able and willing to help protect our new homeland. On top of this, for showing us such kindness, we promise not to ask for too high of a price as payment for our services. We do still want to display how capable Ascalonians can be.”

Saya coughs and mutters.  
“…speak for yourself.”

“A generous proposition, miss Vlasic and one we are glad to accept. We will make sure that you are given assignments that will have the most impact within our defenses. I hope to hear more of your good deeds in the future.”  
A short while later, he dismisses the group, and waits until they have left the vicinity. Once they have, he calls Justiciar Hablion, one of his closest, to his side and they both watch the Ascalonians leaving in the distance.  
“I think it would be wise to continue watching them.”

Hablion gives him an intrigued gaze.  
“You don’t trust them?”

“Not so far. They have much to prove and there’s always the possibility of someone else reaching them. Make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Very well, it will be done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This is the second time that I have to correct myself in editing, and write Five Gods, not Six. Always forget that happens later._


	17. Harder to leave

As various conflicts and dangers continue to roam through Kryta, while appearing only as rumors and news for many others, there are at least some pleasant developments in certain parts of the land. One of those is the Ascalon settlement built in the northeastern region, just a few miles away from the capital. Now with every refugee having arrived and many house constructions being completed, it’s finally starting to look a bit like a community. Sure, it’s still somewhat isolated from the rest of Kryta, as they tend to stay among themselves, but the fact that they have homes, farmlands and relative security is still a huge step, which has brought hope to the majority of the population.

There are, of course, still challenges to tackle – learning more about what sort of farming actually works in this very different landscape and climate; holding off threats from bandits and beasts that appear in the surrounding area; creating manageable and safe trade routes to each of the nearby cities and towns, which will, in turn, make them part of the rest of the country.

In spite these worries, though, many of the inhabitants are fairly positive and much of it is thanks to the leaders. Captain Greywind in particular does a very good job of handling the small Ascalonian guard force, both organizing what they have and drilling new recruits. At the same time, Miljana and Devona inspire the rest by spreading their influence through showing the prowess and eagerness of the immigrants to help and secure much of Kryta, even outside of their own territory.  
After their success in guiding the refugees all this way and efficiently defeating a lot of threats, they’re already called heroes by most Ascalonians, even though the duo, together with Sayaki, are trying to downplay their roles.

Today, however, they’re taking a little bit of a break from their ongoing ‘adventures’, if it can even be called that, to visit many of the citizens in the settlement and familiarize themselves with the ongoing progression. As Devona is busying herself by talking to a bunch of people that present their opinions and ideas for the future, Miljana is resting by a fence on the outskirts. She’s not wearing her armor nor weapons today, and stands instead in a simple red cloth tunic, somewhat worn brown pants and a pair of black boots. Earlier, she helped out with some of the construction process for a new house in the southeastern part of town, and while it was inspiring to see everyone working together, she really feels that kind of work is not for her. She tires too easily, both in mind and body. It is a little bit weird, especially when one considers that she can easily walk and run for miles during hunts.

For a moment, her eyes also drift downwards to the patch of grass behind her, where she sees the sleeping figure of Nakota. The melandru’s stalker hadn’t been assigned to the same kind of tasks as the humans, obviously, but she has busied herself for most of the day, by playing with some of the children. This has made her fairly exhausted as well, it seems, and Miljana smiles when she watches her dear companion.

Her thoughts are momentarily interrupted, however, when she hears someone calling out for her.  
“Jana, there you are! Been looking for you all over.”

Miljana turns her gaze to the west and along the road, she spots the familiar figure of Saya. Ever since meeting her, their Canthan friend has spent most of her time travelling by their side. In fact, she has been particularly glad to ask Miljana to join her for various private endeavors. Two weeks ago, they had dinner together and after that, there have been at least two more nights of simply hanging out. Saya’s intentions seem clear to the ranger, but she doesn’t wish to move too quickly. Miljana wants to know just how serious she is first.

Currently, Saya comes walking with what looks like a scroll of some kind in her hands. It’s rolled up for now.  
“Couldn’t have done a very good job of it then, because I’ve been here all along”, Miljana responds.

Saya smirks and arches a brow, putting her hands playfully at her own hips. In comparison to Miljana, she’s wearing a black shirt with a somewhat lower neckline, and a simple white skirt beneath. Her shoes are also slightly flatter.  
“Yeah well, there are just so many people around this small town! I get lost in the ridiculous design of it.”

Miljana displays a playful smile in return.  
“Hmm, didn’t you boast about coming from an enormous city or something? Interesting that you could get lost in a small place like this.”

“Shut up!”  
Once she reaches Miljana’s side, she bonks her head with the rolled-up scroll, which doesn’t have much of an impact of course, as it’s paper, but it makes the ranger giggle.  
“I wanted to talk to you about this thing I found.”

“What is it?”

Saya unfolds the scroll and turns it so that both of them can look at it together.  
“It’s a pretty good bounty for some kind of asshole and his highwaymen band. The interesting part is that it’s fairly close to our location, as it’s said they hang out to the east of here.”

“Hmm, that is quite interesting, yeah. And the bounty is above average too, which would be nice to cash in. Do you know anything about how many of them there are?”

Saya nods and rolls the scroll back up again.  
“Yeah, spoke with one of the patrolling Lionguard. He told me that this guy’s gang has about a dozen members. I mean, sure, they’re probably quite armed and dangerous, but we’ve faced tougher odds than that. I’m confident you’ll be able to track 'em down and we can launch some kind of ambush. Gotta bring Dev too, obviously.”

Miljana smiles, as she finds it rather amusing how Saya has already started using the same kind of nicknames that the former Vanguard duo have called each other for a few years now. Not that she minds Saya getting familiar with them – in fact, it’s quite nice.  
“I’ll talk to her and see how she feels. She’s a bit busy right now.”

“Alright, well, can do it once she’s free then. I really believe this is a solid plan, as by taking care of them we won’t just be getting some gold, but contributing to the safety of this settlement.”

“Yes, of course, I agree. I like the idea a lot and you already have my support. We should go for it.”

The response makes Saya smile wider than usual, as she actually appears quite happy. It’s as if she received some kind of compliment.  
“Good! Can’t wait until we give those bastards what they deserve.”

While Miljana agrees, she also tilts her head curiously.  
“You know, it’s…quite fascinating.”

“What is?”

“Your behavior.”

Saya now looks surprised and somewhat confused instead.  
“Uh, what do you mean? What’s so fascinating about it?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have believed that you’d still be with us after all this time.”

She seems to realize what Miljana is talking about, and diverts her eyes downwards.  
“Erm, is that weird? I mean, it shouldn't be, right?”

“It’s not that I disapprove or anything, but when we first met, you clearly seemed to have other plans for your future. I believe you told us that you had this whole journey to make or something. And now you’ve practically abandoned it.”

Saya contemplates the statement, and probably tries to look through her own decisions and thoughts on this topic.  
“Am I not allowed to stay?”

Miljana chuckles.  
“Of course you are. Mists, if you’d want to stick around, we’d be more than happy to find you a place. However, I don’t want to hold you back, if you’ve got other plans you’d rather strive for.”

Saya turns her gaze towards Miljana, searching the ranger’s expression.  
“Does it seem like I do?”

“Yeah, it does. You don’t appear to be the type who enjoys staying in one place for very long. No offense or anything, but that’s just the initial impression I got.”

After another silent moment or two, Saya snorts, but it’s more thoughtful than derisive.  
“I guess you’ve got a point. I usually don’t like getting attached.  
During my two years here in Kryta, I’ve accompanied a bunch of merc groups, adventurers and freelancers; even agreed to guard a village for a few weeks.”

“I assume you didn’t stay with any of them, seeing where you are now.”

Saya nods briefly.  
“Out of all those encounters, I eventually just…grew bored with each of them. It was quicker with some, when they really didn’t seem to have anything to them. So, you know, I left and tried to find something that would be more exciting.”

As she listens to Saya talk, Miljana raises her arms and crosses them over her chest.  
“Is it different for you this time around? Since you’ve been with us for more than a short while now – several weeks in fact.”

Instead of looking directly at her companion, Saya peers out over the village, eyeing each of the people, as well as the different buildings set up. Her eyes appear rather distant during her sweep.  
“I guess so, yeah. I dunno why, but I feel as if I’ve found something that’s worth my attention this time; a plight that I can get behind. It’s…weird and a little bit scary, but, I kinda want to stay.”

Miljana continues to watch her, the smile upon her lips growing with the understanding that Saya may be a permanent addition. This would definitely be a welcoming aspect to her.  
“Be careful, Saya – if you stick around for too long, you might not be able to leave at all. You might even want to, gasp, settle down.”

The playful tone takes Saya out of her reverie and she emits a soft laughter. Afterwards, she turns a mischievous smile in Miljana’s direction and walks a bit closer.  
“Maybe it's not about what I want? With the aura around this place, I might make some drastic decisions that I can’t even predict.”

“I see. You’re so fascinated with Ascalonians that they’d make you want to hang around them forever, eh?”

“Well, maybe…” Saya closes the last bit of distance between them and places herself against the same fence, almost allowing their arms to touch. At the same time, she lowers her voice into a huskier tone. “Or maybe there’s a particular Ascalonian I’m into. One I just can’t lose sight of.”

This makes Miljana giggle and smile in that shy manner which Saya enjoys. She decides to give in to the rogue’s charm, at least a little bit. She rests her head against Saya’s arm and closes her eyes.  
“If you continue doing this, you’ll eventually get into trouble.”

“Mm, I like trouble.”

“Don’t be so sure. Wait until you see how Dev feels about it. She can be kinda protective, you know.”

This makes Saya laugh as she moves her arm even further to wrap it around Miljana.  
“And I’m very persistent, so it’ll be quite a fight.”


	18. Theft of life

The much sought-after serenity in the Ascalon settlement has become somewhat of a safe haven for the group of freelancers that constantly venture out to perform tasks which might help the citizens who live inside. It’s practically the only home they have at this time, something which they haven’t had for a few years now, and while they would prefer to stay there constantly, it’s just not possible. Kryta and its people need them, and it’s also the only useful way that they can earn an income.

This is why Miljana, Devona, Sayaki and, of course, Nakota, all find themselves travelling along a road out in the somewhat unsafe wilderness in the northwest, around a region known as the Divinity Coast.  
The jobs from the White Mantle have kept steadily flowing in, and while they’re usually allowed to work without aid, this particular mission has shown to be somewhat different. Instead of being asked to do a task for the Mantle, the group has been assigned as support for what force the Mantle already has.

Miljana felt rather skeptical when she heard about it, not because she believed they were lying or would somehow deceive her team, but rather because they may be undervaluing the danger.  
The assignment itself involves escorting a certain group of villagers through the land, in the direction of a coastal city called Loamhurst. Miljana and Dev have seen the name on maps, but never actually visited. The villagers that they’re helping along seem nice enough, albeit a little too excitable.

For the first few days or so, the knights ask them to stay close and follow a very regimented set of patrols, which discourages deviation. This is during a time where they also travel by smaller settlements, taking at least one or two citizens from each place. According to the Mantle, these civilians are being called ‘Chosen’, and are apparently quite lucky for having been picked. By their reactions, it would seem that way as well, but the others are not as sure.

When they’re finally given some time for privacy, the three women close the distance between them and stay a little bit separated from the knights. The area they’re in right now is not far from the woods, and they can spot a set of hills in amongst the trees as well.

“Hey, Saya, we need to talk”, Miljana tells her.

The former assassin finds herself flanked by the two Ascalonians, and glances between them.  
“Uh, okay. What are we scheming about?”

Her sarcasm brings a smirk to Miljana’s lips, but Dev rolls her eyes.  
“No scheming, we’re just curious”, Dev tells her. “Do you know anything else about this whole process that we’re going through?”

“You mean, with the Chosen?”

“Yeah. You’ve been here longer than us, so you must’ve heard something, right?”

Saya takes a deep breath, turning her gaze forward, as she starts to scowl in thought.  
“Well, I can’t say I’m like, super knowledgeable about it. I only know what the locals have told me.”

Miljana pushes the strap of her bag up a bit further and shrugs.  
“That’s better than what we have.”

“I guess so.  
Well, gotta admit that I believe what Justiciar Hablion told us is true, as it has been done many times before – the villagers we’re escorting apparently have much higher magical aptitude than normal people.”

Dev arches her brow skeptically.  
“What does that mean, though? Are they magic users?”

Saya shrugs.  
“Dunno. I think it has more to do with their subconscious power than anything else. They’re not looking to train elementalists, but rather push forth this potential that hides underneath the surface. Or that’s what the Mantle tells them, anyway.”

Miljana raises another hand to rub her chin, trying to consider it.  
“Right. And what happens to them?”

“We’re escorting them now to this place called the ‘Temple of the Unseen’. From there, they’ll apparently be ‘uplifted and guided to greatness’.”

“And you think that’s the truth?”, Dev inquires.

“Like I said, I don’t really know. I’ve never been to this temple myself, and I doubt they’ll actually let us enter. We’re only meant to escort them safely to the gates.”

As they speak, Miljana eyes the guards which surrounds the villagers – there are at least two dozen of them, which seems unusually large to her.  
“What’s with the size of the escort, though? Are they that important or does the Mantle expect trouble?”

Saya raises a hand to scratch at her cheek.  
“Maybe? Honestly, I’m as clueless as you about this. It could be that the road is more dangerous than others, but I think the Mantle simply values the Chosen highly. Perhaps they’ll become part of the organization later on or something.”

Miljana crosses her arms, a troubling gaze filling her eyes.  
“It just sounds…very strange. I’ve never heard of this kind of ritual, and magical stuff like this overall worries me.”

Technically, Saya isn’t very surprised to hear it. She has been told of the Searing, another substantial ritual which devastated their homes. Some skepticism in the face of this, isn’t really unexpected.  
At the same time, Dev nods in agreement.  
“Yeah, I feel the same. I don’t want them to suddenly ‘choose’ any Ascalonians. Most of our people still don’t understand this, and we believe in the Five Gods, not these...Unseen, whoever they are.”

It’s getting a little tense at the moment and Saya figures she must do something to relieve it. She places a hand on one shoulder each and smiles.  
“Hey, why don’t you just calm down and relax a bit, hm? You shouldn’t worry all too much just yet. Most Krytans seem to accept this process and they like it, as the Mantle offer resources to the families that are chosen. I’m sure nothing bad is gonna happen to your people.”

Her attempt at calming them succeeds to a slight degree and at least Miljana smiles, while lifting her own hand to Saya’s.  
“Yeah, guess you’ve got a point. We’re just very suspicious, after everything we went through back in Ascalon.”

“Hey, I’m not blaming you. It’s a reasonable attitude to have and-“

“Commander!”

Their conversation is interrupted by a voice, coming from the south. Out by the edge of the woods, a white-clad man runs as quickly as he can, and they recognize one of the Mantle scouts. He seems to be gesturing for one of the other Mantle knights.  
“Felage! What’s going on?”

“Commander, it’s too late! They’re here! You have to-“  
And that’s as far as he gets, as an individual appears several meters behind him, holding up what looks like a bow and fires an arrow straight into his back. Being fairly lightly armored, he doesn’t stand a chance and plummets to the ground.

The Mantle soldiers all watch the proceedings with shock for only a second, before quickly scrambling for their weapons.  
“You bastard! You will pay for your insolence, scum!”

Two of the knights are being sent to take care of their attacker, but while they do that, the freelancers remain unsure how to act. Miljana, having a better sense of situational awareness, notices that there are more figures than what they first perceive.  
“No, wait! She’s not alone! There are more out in the woods!”

Her warning is heard, but ignored. A whole dozen arrows are launched in the direction of these two knights, and while some of them miss, it’s enough to cause quite a bit of damage.  
When they believe they might have time to run and heal their wounds, another attack flies in their direction to finish them off, but it’s different from the previous one. They see instead how a large fireball hurls through the air and slams right into them, exploding once it lands. The impact throws them in opposite directions and the fire burns their skins and eradicates their clothes.

The freelancers shift their gazes further up, seeing how the attack must’ve come in that direction and spots someone standing up on the hill. It’s a man with medium brown skin, short and neatly trimmed beard. His red hair is cut short everywhere except on top of his head, which points somewhat upwards. He’s dressed in heavy boots, a moss green shirt with a long brown coat on top. Strangely enough, his chest is somewhat exposed, as the neckline of his shirt is fairly low. To the ranger, he appears a little bit too extravagant for a spy or assassin, but she hasn’t met a lot of them in Kryta.

“Hey! What are you doing? We mean you no harm!”, Miljana calls out, but all she gets in return is a glare.  
Seconds after, he raises his hand and behind him, they see how a large rock rises up into the air. As he waves his hand, the boulder shoots forward and tumbles down the hill, rolling in high speed at the front Mantle guards, some of who have very little time to evade.

At the same time as this occurs, more arrows are launched towards them, and Miljana can spot further movement closer to their location.  
“It’s the Shining Blade!”, one of the Mantle soldiers calls out, which obviously gets their attention.

The trio quickly grabs their weapons and Saya expresses her irritation through a sigh.  
“Can we not have a mission that doesn’t go completely wrong halfway through? Just once?”

Several of the Shining Blade attackers wield either swords or spears with shields. Some of them end up in a melee fight with the freelancers, while the Mantle gets overrun at the same time.  
Miljana and Devona are fairly used to being outnumbered, so it’s not all too unexpected to deal with, but another aspect soon joins the fray, increasing the difficulty.

From the same hill where the rock was thrown, a cloud of dust sweeps down towards their location and seems to obscure the entire area. Having worked with and fought against elementalists before, Dev and Miljana both assume it’s the same sorcerer, who appears to love making life difficult for them.  
It also looks like the Shining Blade have made preparations, which is why most of their troops are wearing cloth to cover their mouths and somewhat shield their eyes too.

Miljana and Saya stand fairly close to each other, and while the ranger prefers her bow, she has no choice but to reach for her short sword, parrying the first blade that swings in her direction.  
Being faster and more agile, Saya manages to both fight her own assailants, while also helping Miljana as best as she can.

“I think the Mantle may have been mistaken!”, Miljana tells Saya, while she knocks out her first foe.

Saya disarms one of her enemies, driving her blade into his chest, and then ducks beneath the attack from one behind her, before getting close enough to slice their throat.  
“About what?”

“These people are too organized to be simple bandits!”

Saya snorts, glancing momentarily towards Miljana and sees how one is just about to get up behind the ranger. Acting swiftly, she grabs one of her throwing knives and pierces him right in the back of his neck.  
All Miljana sees of him is how his body comes tumbling down beside her. She looks up and nods appreciatively towards Saya.  
“You’ve got a point, I guess”, the assassin remarks. “That doesn’t mean they’re invincible, though.”

“Yeah, but-“

Before she gets any further, they hear Devona’s voice through the dust.  
“Jana! Saya! The Shining Blade are going for the Chosen!”

Despite hardly being able to see much else than themselves in this mess, they share a look and then starts running towards where they believe that they heard their companion.

At the same time, another battle is being fought close to the Chosen’s destination, as Dev is in a fight with at least three opponents. It seems like their numbers are quite a bit higher than the White Mantle’s, and she tries her best to carve a path to stop their plan.  
Before she manages to reach the people which she’s supposed to protect, she runs into a familiar figure – the sorcerer. Apparently, he wasn’t aiming at watching the fight from afar the whole time.

“These people are innocent! Let them go!”, she tries to tell him.

At this distance, she can see that he has a scar on the left side of his face, which stands out quite well.  
He doesn’t seem particularly impressed when he looks at her, however.  
“This is none of your business, outsider. Stay out of it, or we’ll be forced to kill you too.”

Dev grits her teeth and practically roars at him while she swings her hammer. He’s a little bit too fast for her, however and evades the strike. At the same time, she sees how he strokes his hand in the air, as if he’s gathering something she can’t perceive.  
After a few moments, he has collected some kind of energy that swirls in his grasp, like a miniature tornado, seemingly pushing away the dust near him. It’s a fascinating sight, but Dev has no plans to see what he’ll do with it.

She launches herself in his direction, trying to take him down before he can do anything drastic, but she’s too late. He throws the spell towards her, and she gets it square in the chest, gasping in shock as she gets thrown backwards. It didn’t seem like much, but the power behind it is so strong that it feels like three charr just tackled her.  
She’s lifted off her feet and travels backwards several meters.

At the same time, Miljana and Saya are still running to help, but because neither of them can see much through this dust storm, they don’t notice the object coming their way.  
They only have half a second to react to a huge item flying towards them and Saya does the only thing she can and pushes Miljana out of the way. The ranger is lucky, as it’s Saya who gets Dev’s body slamming right into her and knocks her straight to the ground.

“Saya! Dev!”, Miljana cries out, as she runs after them, while they slide across the ground.

When she finds them again, Saya seems to have passed out, due to getting Dev’s plate armor straight in her face, while Dev is leaning over, clutching her chest and coughing as if she was just choking on something.

“Dev! What in the Mists just happened?!”

The warrior has to wait a few seconds before being able to respond properly.  
“I…I couldn’t…”  
She coughs again and shakes her head.  
“That damn sorcerer, he shot some kind of spell at me! I was too slow to avoid it.”  
Looking up for a moment, she sees that Miljana isn’t watching her. Following her gaze, she notices the unconscious woman next to her.  
“Shit. Saya!”

Miljana grabs her bag and tries to get something out of it, hoping to find some kind of item that can help out.  
“She pushed me out of the way when you came flying at us.”

Dev is still partially out of breath, and glances between them. She should’ve probably expected Saya to be that protective. They have gotten rather close at this point.  
After waiting a few seconds, she slides closer and grabs Miljana’s wrist.  
“Let me take care of her. It was my fault, after all. Go check what the situation with the Mantle looks like.”

Miljana looks up, glaring at Dev for a moment, but it soon disperses. She realizes that her friend has a point and nods, just before rising to her feet.  
Calling out for Nakota, she and the Melandru’s stalker rushes through the dust cloud, trying to find anyone they recognize. Along the way, they almost stumble into several corpses, mixed between both Shining Blade and White Mantle soldiers. What they don’t find, however, is any Chosen.

It isn’t until they run into one of the Mantle priestesses who are still alive, that they can get any answers.  
“Hey, what’s going on? Where are the Shining Blade?”

The woman closes her eyes, shaking her head slightly. Miljana can see a rather nasty bleeding wound on her exposed leg, but nothing else.  
“They…they took the Chosen.”

“Where?”

“Into the woods.”  
She looks up and locks her eyes with Miljana’s.  
“I…I believe they’re taking them into the Maguuma Jungle.”


	19. At Blade's edge

After the catastrophe on Divinity Coast, Devona and Sayaki had very little time to recuperate, before the chase began. None of the three in the group had visited the Maguuma Jungle before, and they didn’t have any plans to do so either, but their mission is clear – whatever the Shining Blade aims to do with the Chosen, it is part of their duty to stop those bandits, or whatever they prefer to see themselves as, from succeeding. Saya had initially disagreed, said that they were outsiders and there’s no reason to get further involved with this, but there was no convincing Miljana. Besides, she argued that they were already involved enough, and they can’t back down now.

The wilds of Maguuma are deadly, more so than they might’ve expected or heard from locals. Poisonous beasts, moving vegetation and an eerie aura of magic that constantly appears to surround them. Despite not being familiar with this jungle, Miljana still manages to guide them through it without too much difficulty, but they have had to leave the White Mantle behind for now. The knights were too slow for the most part, and while Dev also has heavy armor equipped, she’s used to keeping up with the ranger.

After several days of hunting them, Miljana is finally certain that they’re closing in, seeing how the trail looks way fresher than it did earlier.  
Once they enter some sort of clearing in between the hills, vines and thick trees, she is shown to be correct, but the sight they’re met with is not quite what they had expected.

The clearing itself is filled with what looks like giant spiders, with web placed all over its walls, obscuring what little light manages to shine through here. However, many of them lie dead on the ground now, together with a bunch of Shining Blade fighters.  
Up on the hill on the other side, they see several more fighters, still keeping the Chosen among them, but there are also some civilians trapped in the web, practically held inside thickly crafted cocoons.

The trio looks around in shock, with Nakota growling at the spiders who are still alive, even though they’re several meters away.  
“What in the Mists is going on here?”, Dev says, somewhat astonished.

Saya frowns and puts her hands on the hilt of their weapons.  
“Dunno, but it doesn’t look good. Seems like the Blades either screwed up, or had something seriously disturbing in mind…”

Miljana grabs the bow from her arm and holds it tightly in her hand, as she calls out towards their foes.  
“Members of the Shining Blade, give up this instant and hand over the Chosen! We will not let you harm them further!”

Some of them turn around, looking surprised to hear that anyone else has followed them. In the forefront of these, they do of course see the sorcerer they faced earlier on the battlefield, but also another individual. She seems to be a local, just like him, but dressed much lighter in what appears to be mostly white clothes, laced with bronze along certain parts of her body. She also has short brown hair, held up by some kind of hairband.

“Who are you and why have you come here?”, she asks in return.

Before the group can answer, the elementalist frowns and puts a hand on her shoulder.  
“Evennia, wait. It’s the outsiders I told you about.”

She appears surprised, before frowning somewhat and peering in their direction.  
“You have chased us all the way through the jungle? The Mantle must have really found some loyal attack dogs in you Ascalonians.”

A line which doesn’t help their relationship any further, of course. Saya rolls her eyes, speaking quietly to her companions.  
“What a nice bunch.”

“You dare to insult us that way, after what you did?”, Miljana responds to Evennia. “It was your group who ambushed us and then kidnapped the Chosen!”

Evennia seems confused for a moment, glancing at her companion and then back at the Ascalonians.  
“Kidnapped? What are you talking about? We freed them from your masters’ hold!”

Dev takes a step forward as well, her hands clenched somewhat.  
“Freed them from a life of luxury and enlightenment among their own people? Either you Krytans have a different definition for that word than we do, or your group have all been hit in the head rather harshly.”

She watches the trio from afar still, trying to understand what’s happening.  
“Wait…have you been listening to the Mantle? Oh, you foreign fools…  
Don’t you see? They-“

Before she gets any further, the sorcerer grabs her shoulder again and pushes her aside.  
“Enough talking, Evennia. You see what they’re like. If we must kill them to end this, then we shall.”

Evennia looks a little bit offended by how he pushed her aside and she frowns.  
“Isidro, what are you doing?”

The sorcerer raises his hand towards them and points down in their direction.  
“I warned you earlier to stay out of this, but it seems you’re too thick to listen. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything else from Ascalonians.”

Both Miljana and Dev frowns at him, while Nakota growls low.  
“I wonder if it’s a general Krytan trait to have such arrogance”, Dev fires back.

Evennia rolls her eyes and attempts to step forward.  
“Isidro, stop this. There’s no point if we-“

He ignores her and they all notice how magic begins to swirl from his hands, with the earth rising to answer his call.  
“The spirit of my father will be quite satisfied to see you destroyed.  
Shining Blade, let’s finish these outsiders now!”

While Evennia is trying to prevent the violence, the rest of the troops seem to be with Isidro and eagerly follow his suggestion, pulling out their weapons and getting ready to advance.  
At the same time, the dirt below Isidro forms into a large rock-like formation and then launches straight towards the trio. Both Saya and Miljana thinks to avoid it, but Dev has another idea. She grabs the hilt of her hammer, and digs her feet down into the ground. Using all her strength, she prepares a wide swing and when the crafted boulder is straight ahead of her, she unleashes it, shattering it with a single blow.

“The daughter of Mordakai does not tremble when faced with Krytans”, she says, practically with fire in her eyes.

Isidro returns a similar expression, and he grimaces, while grabbing something from his neck. There’s some kind of necklace around there, holding a symbol or a talisman of some sort. When he squeezes it, they see how fire erupts in his hand and he seem to prepare a completely different spell.

Whatever plans he had, however, is interrupted, as he’s forced to duck when an arrow comes flying towards him.  
Both him and the other Shining Blade see how Miljana stands on the side, her bow held high.  
“We didn’t struggle for two years against the charr and sacrifice everything to cross the mountains, just to have a group of bandits ruin it for us now”, she exclaims.

Isidro frowns in her direction now, realizing that he may have to take care of her first, before he can deal with someone like Dev.  
“Oh yes, we’ve heard much about your war against the charr. Seems they burned down your entire land, while they hardly even managed to scratch ours. And to think you ever believed you’d stand a chance against us.”

His taunt seems to work, as she grits her teeth and fires another arrow at him, which he evades and instead tries to get down to her level in the clearing, while of course wanting to avoid getting shot.  
He doesn’t head down alone, however, as several more fighters come behind him, and seemingly aim to split themselves evenly across their opponents. Naturally, they run into Devona first, someone they aren’t quite prepared to face, as shown by how she easily knocks down the first two with one swing each.

In the meantime, Saya isn’t sure if she should be unimpressed with their bickering, or amused. Either way, she refuses to leave her friends stuck in this mess, and pulls out her daggers.  
“You know, I’ve heard much of your Shining Blade too, and while you’re an interesting bunch, you really shouldn’t attack professionals.”

As she says this, she dodges in between two of her foes, and just as she gets past them, she stabs her blades into gaps in their armor, hitting weak points on each. The Shining Blade doesn’t seem to have poor fighters, but they weren’t prepared to face someone of her caliber.

On the opposite side of the battlefield, Isidro does his best to switch between trying to burn and crush Miljana, while she steadily shoots her own arrows at him.  
A few of his fellow Shining Blades wish to aid him, but some of them have to contend with a very angry Nakota, and an occasional shot from Miljana, to help her feline companion out. Unfortunately for them, the Melandru’s stalker has devastatingly sharp claws, fangs and much experience against humanoid foes.

In the initial portion of the fight against Isidro, Miljana is the one who has to perform most of the dodging, as he’s faster at throwing out attacks than she is, and especially ones that causes more environmental damage. She finds it intriguing how he can tear up parts of the earth and use it as a weapon, or even seemingly gather fire from the air, even though she thinks it originates from the talisman he’s using. She has faced elementalists before, though, and knows exactly how dangerous the more powerful ones can be. She hopes he’s not one of them.

Luckily, she’s known for agility and speed, as well as observational skills. Creating tactics in the middle of a fight is not something she’s unused to, and while it may seem like she’s merely running around and trying not to get killed, she’s actually testing his abilities and magical capacity. He’s definitely good at what he does, but she quickly realizes that his temper often flares up and it’s possible that he’s fueled more by anger than a sharp mind. She can use this against him.

“You know, pretty sure I faced tougher magic-users from the charr. Are you certain that Krytans actually provided any skill against them when they invaded?”

He snorts while he sees how Miljana gets in behind some nearby rocks.  
“They threw everything they had at us, and we pushed them back, with all the strength we could muster.”

“Is that so? Not what I’ve heard.”

He furrows his brow and stops for a moment.  
“Whatever you’ve heard is most likely a lie.”

She smirks slightly while she prepares three separate arrows.  
“Really? From what the White Mantle told us, it was the Unseen Ones who saved your entire country, while the rest of you fled like cowards.”

It appears she hits the spot, while he practically roars in rage and forces the earth to follow his command. Instead of actually attempting to get her out with some smart tactic, he throws everything he has at her, hoping that something will crush her. She does launch one arrow up in the air then, making it fly up in an arc, and even though she knows it’ll miss, it serves the purpose of distracting him.

While it seems to work, she throws herself to the side, avoiding the crashing rocks which came in her direction, and quickly fires another shot. Just like she expected, he protects himself, as it approaches his chest, but this exposes another angle. She fires low for the third and final shot, and the arrow pierces his leg, making him groan in pain. She interrupts his spell and he falls to the ground.

“Looks like pride is a weak spot one can target here, just as much as you could back home”, she remarks, somewhat amused.  
Seeing how their comrade falls, the other Blades run in to help him, and hopefully give Miljana something else to do.

Someone else who notices this is Evennia, who still hasn’t tried to get into the fight, but seeing as how her allies are not doing very well, she groans in frustration and rushes towards them. Either she does something now or they won’t last much longer.  
In a fight between Dev and three of their enemies, she’s just about to knock one of them out, when a magical blast hits the area in the middle, and she’s pushed back by some kind of shockwave.

After gasping and trying to determine where it came from, she hears the familiar voice of the white-clad woman who yells at her comrades.  
“Get up and step back! Leave this one to me.”

The three are all somewhat injured by now, and they look surprised, yet thankful for Evennia’s offer.  
Dev turns her gaze in Evennia’s direction, while clutching her hammer tightly.  
“You aren’t a fighter, I can see that much. You should stay out of this.”

While observing Evennia, she sees how some kind of bright runes start to shine around the other woman’s arms. The symbols are familiar to Dev. Are they monk ones? She’s pretty sure she recognizes them from the old Ashford abbey.  
“If this is what Kryta requires of me, then I must commit. And besides, I’m not as helpless as you think.”

She fires another spell at Dev, and while it’s executed with determination, it doesn’t do much else than push the warrior somewhat backwards, as her armor takes most of the hit.  
Dev isn’t sure whether to be unimpressed or feel sorry for her foe, but she can’t stop now anyway.

She holds her weapon tighter and then begins to advance in Evennia’s direction, as swiftly as she’s able. The monk doesn’t move much while this happens, instead hoping to use all of her abilities to stop Dev from reaching her location, but the Ascalonian appears to be rather decent at avoiding damage too. Even if she can’t dodge every spell, she can either deflect them or simply take the damage.

Eventually, Dev is right in front of her, and Evennia grits her teeth, trying to protect herself from an attack with her arms, but it never quite arrives; not in the way she expected, anyway.  
Instead of bashing her with the hammer, Dev aims low and uses her plated hand to punch the monk right in her gut. Not that this is a painless act, of course – quite the opposite. Evennia gasps, losing her breath as she leans over. Shortly after, Dev seizes her shoulder and slams her into one of the nearby trees.

Just as Evennia is coughing and attempting to get her breath back, Dev holds her against the tree trunk with an arm positioned over - but not on - her throat.  
“I don’t want to kill you, so please, stand down”, she tells the monk.

Evennia is still panting when she retorts, which is why her voice is somewhat strained.  
“You…should do the same.”

“Are you stupid? We just defeated a dozen of you by the three of us!”

“There are…more of us out here. You won’t succeed.”

At the same time, another fight is also quite one-sided among the rest of the group, and that is the one between the Shining Blade fighters versus Saya. They probably believed that someone with daggers like hers and so little armor would be quite unlikely to successfully take on four people at once, but they clearly underestimated her, something she seems to enjoy immensely.  
She has a constant grin on her lips as she ducks beneath their weapons, and occasionally pushes her own blades into their bodies, piercing them without much issue. For the most part, however, she doesn’t try to stab anything vital, almost as if she wants to draw out the fight.

“Is this the best you have? Huh. Makes me kinda disappointed that I tried to avoid your people for so long”, she says while shaking her head.

A few seconds later, she notices how someone in similar gear reveals herself further back, but she looks a bit younger than some of the other Shining Blade. Her skin is a slightly lighter brown and her short hair is copper-colored. Her gaze sweeps over the area and she appears quite worried.  
“Evennia! Isidro!”

Isidro is currently leaning against a tree as one of the other soldiers tries to bandage him, and he glances towards the hill and seems surprised.  
“Salma? What…what are you doing here?”

Evennia is just as shocked, almost afraid to see her standing there.  
“Salma, you fool! Get back to the Chosen! Don’t get involved in this!”

Seeing their fears makes Saya smirk and she then charges towards her opponents, trips one of them over, punching the wound on another to make him buckle, and then slices the last two across their legs, just enough to make them fall, before she runs straight past them.  
Hardly anyone manages to react, as Saya uses her acrobatic abilities to leap up towards the hill and then advance on the young woman.

Salma has only enough time to see her in the last second, before Saya seizes her arm, gets in behind her and holds a blade to her throat.  
“Fellas, I think it’s best if you all put down your weapons and step back. I wouldn’t wanna accidently decapitate this one. She’s got such a pretty head, after all.”

While none of the freelancers know who this young woman is, they are quite surprised over the reactions they gain from the Shining Blade, and how they practically give up as soon as she’s taken.  
As this threat is made, however, they hear the raised voice of Evennia calling out to her.  
“Please, stop this now! This whole fight is futile, as you’re on the wrong side!”

Saya looks down towards the monk from her position, with a slightly arched brow.  
“How do you figure?”

“Because you’re fools! Does it look like we seek the Chosen's deaths? We are taking them to safety, away from the White Mantle’s ritual!”

Dev stands closest to her, still holding Evennia rather tightly.  
“What ritual? You mean the one that will reveal their magical potential? We aren’t falling for your-“

“Potential?” She scoffs.  
“The White Mantle aims to sacrifice them to their gods, you idiot!”

This momentarily silences her, as well as the other two. Dev throws Miljana a glance, who shrugs slightly, before the warrior looks back at Evennia.  
“That’s quite a bold claim to make.”

Evennia glares up at the taller woman, feeling just a little bit awkward while having to be held like this. She dislikes looking defenseless.  
“If you don’t believe us, then let us prove it to you. Come with us to the Shining Blade camp, and we will show you all you need to see.”

Dev stares at Evennia, who returns the gesture with equal intensity. If she’s lying, she’s really damn good at it.  
“How can we know you’re telling the truth?”

“You can’t, but you’ll just have to trust us. You’ve already shown to be better fighters than this entire squad, so I don’t see what you have to lose.  
Let Salma go and I promise we’ll take you safely to the correct location.”

This could of course be a very elaborate trick and not really one that would be stupid to make. After all, how else would they survive this encounter?  
However, there’s something in Evennia’s eyes, which makes Dev lower her arm and step back.  
“Alright, we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, for now. But we need to see this proof, right away.”


	20. Heart of vines

The journey further into the jungle is, thankfully, rather uneventful. Except for some tension between the mercenaries and the surviving Shining Blade, there are no actual further altercations, even though they both suspect each other.  
When they’re taken to the camp, at first, there are a few people who demand that Miljana’s group disarms and prepares to be held under guard, but Evennia dismisses these claims, saying that they need to build trust for now.

The camp itself consists mostly of tents on the ground and wood houses built up among the trees. The branches and leaves, along with the many vines, give the Shining Blade rather good protection, both from the dangers of the wilds, as well as humanoid enemies who hunt them. Miljana quickly realizes that they likely would’ve stumbled into many of the traps, magical or physical, which the rebels have prepared.

While the trio and their animal companion are allowed to wait in one of the corners of the camp, they see that the Shining Blade was indeed not lying, and the Chosen are actually taken care of. They’re given some shelter, as well as food and water. Most of them are confused why they are here, and some demand answers, but the rebels seem eager to give it to them as well, explaining that the White Mantle is not as benevolent as they might have believed.

A short while later, as they mostly sit around and Miljana is feeding Nakota some preserved meat as a snack, they notice how someone approaches them. Evennia comes walking, a solemn expression on her face.  
Dev is first to meet her, standing up and taking a few steps forward. She clears her throat as well, and both of her companions notice that she seems to have something on her mind.

“How are you doing?”, she asks Evennia.

The monk-trained woman observes her for a moment, as if she’s searching for the intent, before a light frown adorns her face and she folds her arms.  
“I am fine”, she says, but it’s not particularly convincing. “You have…quite a firm grip.”

Dev coughs, as she appears a bit awkward.  
“Yeah, I uh…guess I might’ve used a little bit more force than I intended. Sorry about that.”

The apology isn’t entirely expected, it seems, as Evennia’s expression softens and she nods at Dev.  
“Thank you.  
Now then, do you wish to see the proof I mentioned?”

Saya sits in the back and snorts.  
“So, it exists after all? Thought you might’ve just been trying to trick us.”

“There’s no trick, as we certainly have good reasons for fighting the White Mantle.”

Miljana rises to her feet and inclines her head.  
“Good, then we want to see it. If you are truly fighting for a just cause, we’d like to know.”

Evennia gestures for them to follow her, and they begin to make their way further into the camp.  
Along the way, they wander past two more familiar figures – Isidro and Salma. From the look of things, Salma is a little bit younger than both Evennia and Isidro, but not so much that she would be seen as a child. She’s likely a teenager, and a fairly inexperienced one.

As Evennia takes them in that direction, they overhear a conversation between the two. At this time, Isidro is leaning against a tree, while Salma stands in front of him and looks up into his eyes.  
“Are you sure you’re alright? That arrow dug in pretty deep”, she remarks.

He sighs at her and rolls his eyes.  
“I’m fine, my lady. I have taken shots in combat before. One little arrow won’t break me.”

Salma frowns at him and folds her arms.  
“Yes, I know that, but it doesn’t mean you’re invulnerable. Besides, it wasn’t just ‘one little arrow’. If it had hit just a little bit to the side and somewhat deeper, it could’ve crippled you.”

Isidro looks back at her skeptically.  
“Oh come on, stop exaggerating. I’m not made of glass! Besides, you underestimate my healing capabilities.”

“Underestimate? Isidro, you’re a terrible healer!”

“My lady, that’s very rude of you to say.”

“And stop calling me that!”

He smirks then, seeming amused by her reaction, but when he hears how Evennia clears her throat, he looks in their direction and frowns as soon as he notices who is with her.  
“It appears we have…company.”

Salma turns towards them and while she doesn’t seem as annoyed by it, she is somewhat hesitant.  
“Oh, hello there.”

Evennia starts by focusing her gaze on the younger of the two.  
“Salma, should you be out here? I thought you had some studying to do.”

Suddenly, the other woman appears defiant, as she attempts to stand a bit taller.  
“Perhaps, but I can’t focus on that now, not when my friends need me.”

“Need you? Please, Isidro can take care of himself.”

“Can he, though? He keeps insisting that he was barely scratched! It’s not true.”

The trio behind Evennia looks amused, while Isidro rolls his eyes, seeming a bit embarrassed.  
“My-…Salma, it _is_ true. I’m fine and I don't need anyone coddling me.”

Salma turns to him with a very determined gaze.  
“I’m not going anywhere until I’ve made sure that you will be okay, and you can’t change my mind.”  
Her expression softens somewhat as she smiles.  
“Besides, I know you hate having to stand around. You’re too restless.”

He arches a brow in her direction.  
“Uh, what? I’m not a child!”

“Some might disagree.”

Evennia can’t help but display a faint smile of her own as she shakes her head.  
“Well, then I guess you can accompany us. Isidro, I’m taking them to see the Fardtu Stone.”

This gets his full attention and he starts by frowning at the group, before turning his eyes back to Evennia.  
“What? You’ve got to be joking.”

“I’m not.”

“That thing is sacred! We can’t allow a bunch of…foreigners in there, who don’t understand our purpose.”

She shakes her head to show she disagrees.  
“First of all – you’re wrong. Showing them the stone is exactly what we need to do, in order for them to comprehend what our purpose is. Nothing we say will be as valuable as what the stone can display for them.  
Secondly”, she says, while taking a step closer and pointing at him, “you are not in a position to argue. It was your misguided actions who brought this fight onto us to begin with and you almost lost, not just your own life, but an entire squad.  
It is time you made up for your mistake, and you can do that by assisting me now. Let’s show these people that we’re better than the White Mantle.”

Her words make him seem unsure and he diverts his gaze to the ground, a look of shame displayed across his features.  
“I…suppose you’re right. I think it’s a bad idea, but if that’s what you want…”

She nods.  
“It is. Now, come on, let’s get to it.”

Evennia turns to the same direction they were just walking, with both Isidro and Salma following her. Salma helps the sorcerer a little bit, as he’s still limping. Miljana wonders if she should feel bad about it, but there’s no sense of remorse from within her. They were in a fight to the death and she doesn’t regret defending herself.

Eventually, they’re taken to some kind of hill at the far side of the camp, with a rather odd entrance. It looks like a tunnel has been carved into the sloped earth, but rocks and dirt cover it completely. At the very end, they see some kind of odd symbols, almost placed like a ward.  
Evennia stops not too far away from it and folds her arms, looking expectantly at Isidro. When Salma helps him get close enough, he raises his hand and some small lights appear at his fingers. He uses these to paint marks, or runes, into the air.

When he crafts the last rune, the wards on the entrance reacts to it and glows as well. They seem to shift and alter their appearance, before the rocks begin to move and fold into the hill, revealing a path for them to go through.  
Interestingly enough, they see that the interior of the hill is hollowed out, almost completely empty except for a small altar in the center. Upon the altar, they see what looks like a really big silver-colored item, shaped into an acorn.

Isidro looks at them and motions with his hand for them to go in first. They are all skeptical, especially Saya, but Miljana gathers her courage and passes through it. Nothing happens to her, nor to any of the others, but when they’re inside, they feel a light breeze touching their skins and a pleasant flowery scent can be felt throughout the entire room.

“This is the Fardtu Stone”, Isidro says, while gesturing at the altar. “From what the stories tell us, it was brought into this section of the jungle by druids of Melandru, who blessed it with her gift. It gives part of the woods life, and an opportunity for people to reach out, to sense those who make this place their home.”

They all look somewhat confused, and therefore, Evennia figures it might be best to clarify.  
“It’s magical in nature and allows us to peer into various areas of Maguuma. Unfortunately, we cannot direct it into any specific place, as the druids never really told anyone how to do that. Instead, it’s more like it offers us…visions.”

Saya shakes her head, not quite believing it.  
“Right. That’s uh…convenient, I guess.”

Isidro frowns at her.  
“If you want proof of what happens in the jungle and of what the Mantle does, then here it is. Touch the stone, and it will show you.”

In return, Saya raises her hands while looking fairly skeptical.  
“No offense, fire boy, but I’m not very much into hallucinations.”

Even Dev looks a little bit unsure as to whether she really wants to see it. The only one who doesn’t share this view, is Miljana.  
She doesn’t know if it’s her connection to nature, after how she was raised, or if it has something to do with her interest in Melandru, but she moves forward and stops right in front of it.

“Jana?”, Dev asks her, but she ignores the others.

The ranger turns her eyes towards Isidro, while holding a hand just slightly above the acorn.  
“I just…touch it?”

He gives her a curt nod.  
“That’s right. It will show you what you need to see.”

Taking a slow and deep breath, Miljana prepares herself and then puts her hand down on the item. Almost immediately, she gasps and tilts her head backwards, her whole body seeming to grow tense in the same move.  
As it occurs, both Dev and Saya seem to panic and step forward to do something about it, but Evennia seizes their shoulders, trying to stop them.

“Wait! You don’t need to worry, as she won’t be harmed. Just watch and see what happens.”

Saya looks over her shoulder and frowns at her.  
“What, so that you can fuck up our friend’s mind?”

Evennia gives her a stern gaze in return.  
“We are not doing anything to her at all, as we have no control over the stone. It does all the work.”

She keeps glaring at the monk for several seconds, but Evennia isn’t deterred.  
“If you hurt her…”

“She won’t be harmed. You have my word.”

Having no other option, Saya decides to wait for now and observe what happens to Miljana. Even though her whole body screams, telling her to stop this madness and protect the ranger, she has to trust in that Miljana knows what she’s doing.  
Thankfully, just half a minute later, they hear her gasp again and take a step away from the stone, clutching the wrist with the hand which held it before.

She’s breathing heavily as both Saya and Dev hurries to her side.  
“Jana! Are you okay?”, Dev inquires.

“Did it hurt?”, asks Saya.

Miljana continues to look at her hand for a few moments, and then glances at the stone as well. She keeps panting the whole time, but it steadily goes back into a normal pace.  
“I…I think I understand now.”

Both of her comrades are still confused, while Miljana turns to give Evennia a look. The monk shares it and then nods, as if confirming something.  
Dev glances between them, still not sure what to think.  
“Uh, can you explain what just happened?”

Finally realizing that her friends are still here, and likely quite shocked by what has occurred, Miljana shakes her head to clear it and then gives them an almost excited gaze.  
“Yeah, I can. Sort of, anyway.  
The stone gave me some sort of vision. I felt like I was travelling through the roots of the jungle, going deeper and deeper. Along the way, I saw lots of activity – animals, plants, lakes and some things I’ve never seen before – until it finally took me to an area within its depths.  
I arrived at some kind of…ashen earth, filled with these weird, jagged red rocks. In the middle of all this, there was some kind of altar.”

“Altar?”

“Yes, I…I believe it was a sacrificial one. The vision showed me how the White Mantle brought people there, spilled their blood and then used their bodies, intermingled with the blood, to cast some kind of powerful spell.  
After that, the vision ended.”

Her companions both hesitate, unsure how to respond and mostly try to absorb the information.  
Behind them, Evennia chooses to speak instead.  
“What you saw was an area we know as ‘Bloodstone Fen’. It is an ancient region, corrupted and untouched since the days when the gods still walked on Tyria.”

Miljana frowns, certainly being able to believe that some of this is true, after what she witnessed.  
“Why does the White Mantle want to go there? Why do they kill the Chosen like that?”

Isidro takes over.  
“Have you ever heard of the Flameseeker Prophecies?”

Both Dev and Miljana appear to be clueless, but Saya folds her arms and nods slightly.  
“I’ve heard those words mentioned, yeah, but I don’t know anything about it.”

“They are apparently proclamations from centuries ago, of unknown origin. In this prophecy, the creator claims that one day, the Chosen will rise up against the Unseen Ones and bring their downfall. Or at the very least, that’s what the White Mantle believes.”

“Wait, why would they do that? Most people don’t even know who their gods are”, Dev points out.

Evennia sighs.  
“We’re aware of that, and frankly, we don’t care much about the prophecy ourselves. But the White Mantle does, and they believe it so fiercely that they’re ready to kill anyone who has the potential of being ‘Chosen’, as they call it.”  
She starts to frown and folds her arms.  
“They are killing our people out there, in the name of their twisted gods. We won’t allow that to continue any longer and we _will_ stop them.”

The trio glances around searchingly, all of them attempting to absorb even more of this madness that appears to have caught the supposed protectors of Kryta.  
“This is…a lot to take in”, Dev comments.

Evennia nods at her.  
“I understand that. Believe me, it was not easy for us at the start either.  
However, if you are done following their orders from now on, we won’t turn down your help. If you wish to witness the full truth, Isidro and I will take you further into the jungle in a few days, to see the Fen for yourselves.”

Salma displays some uncertainty.  
“What? Evennia, you can’t go in there. You’re too important to the Shining Blade.”

She frowns back at Salma.  
“I will do what I must, Salma, for Kryta. These people need to understand what we are going through, and if my company will help convince them, then I need to be there.”

Salma certainly doesn’t seem satisfied with this answer, but Miljana is a little bit more comfortable with it.  
“Alright, if you’re ready to go this far to show us the truth, then the least we can do is come with you. If it turns out you’re right, then we promise to help you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _For anyone who has played the first GW, you may be confused to see Salma more involved in the story than she is in Prophecies. I felt it was kind of unfortunate how absent she was from the proceedings. She's in like one quest, as far as I remember, and it was secondary. Up until the "War in Kryta", at least._   
>  _Here, she's not exactly in a central role, but I feel like she wants to take part, even if she can't be very active in the fighting._


	21. Symptoms of doubt

During most of the first day, Miljana and Devona make an effort to familiarize themselves with some of the people in the camp, as they want to understand who the Shining Blade really are.  
For the most part, they sort of recognize themselves in these individuals. They’re a resistance against the White Mantle’s push for control; rebels, people who don’t want to lose their homes and are ready to fight for it.  
The sentiments very much remind the two Ascalonians of where they came from and what they went through to gain freedom.

Unsurprisingly, the members they speak with are not eager to actually divulge all too sensitive information. They won’t reveal what they know of the royal family, whether they have other cells or what their plans are. Not that either of the duo expects this, but still they want to inquire, as it gives them an opportunity to see how the rebels operate. Most here are loyal, at the very least.

As the day drifts towards evening, Miljana starts to wonder where Sayaki is, as she realizes that she hasn’t seen the rogue since when they were all gathered around the Fardtu stone.  
Finding people is part of her speciality, though, and therefore it’s not difficult to go through the process.  
It only takes a few minutes, until she notices a familiar appearance in one of the corners of the camp.

Saya is practically sitting at the edge of the camp, placed upon a rock, as she looks out over the area. She has her legs pulled up against her and the arms wrapped around them, with a distant gaze in her eyes. Occasionally, she peers up at the sky, despite the fact that it’s fairly hard to see. Miljana stands and watches her for a minute, until she decides to approach.

“See anything of interest?”

Saya twitches when Miljana speaks and she quickly turns her attention towards the voice, but then sighs in relief when she spots the ranger.  
“Gods…you startled me.”

Miljana chuckles softly.  
“Sorry, didn’t mean to.”

“How did you even do it? No one manages to sneak up on me like that.”

Miljana folds her arms and looks fairly amused as she slowly walks closer.  
“Well, perhaps you’ve never met a hunter as good as I am. You don’t survive for long as a ranger, if you’re not light on your feet.”

Saya smiles and shakes her head, but she doesn’t look particularly happy.  
“I guess so. Or maybe I’m getting rusty.”

Even though it is getting kinda dark, Miljana certainly doesn’t miss the nature of the expression.  
She moves closer and lowers her voice.  
“Is something wrong?”

Saya watches her for a moment, before diverting her eyes elsewhere.  
“No.”

“Are you sure?”

She lingers in silence for a moment, her eyes moving around searchingly.  
“I dunno. Maybe.”

“If something is bothering you, I’m always available for a talk.”

It is difficult to see if the offer is appreciated or not, for the first few seconds, before Saya lets out a brief sigh.  
“It’s just that…I’m not sure how I feel about this.”

“About what?”

“You know, all this”, she says, while gesturing at the camp around them.  
“I’m…not sure I want to be a part of it.”

Miljana follows her gaze and watches how some of the rebels still move around, either to their posts or to find someplace to stay for the night.  
“You mean the resistance itself? Technically, we haven’t joined them yet.”

“Yeah, that’s just it - ‘yet’. It feels like that’s the way we’re going and I’m not sure I want to.”

“Well, I guess that’s alright to feel, but is there something specific about it that bothers you?”

Saya pulls her arms around her legs again and rests her chin on top of her knee.  
“I dunno. The whole thing is very…iffy, I suppose. The fight, the cause, the people themselves…”  
She snorts and shakes her head.  
“I’m not sure who I can trust.”

“You believe they might be lying to us? From what I saw, it looked pretty real.”

She turns to study Miljana for a moment, observing her expression, but there’s nothing which oozes of dishonesty. Not that she would’ve expected it either.  
“Perhaps, but I still don’t know what to think of it.  
This wasn’t why I got myself into this business, though. I’m a mercenary, Jana, not some rebel. My reasons for coming to Kryta had nothing to do with that, and I’ve never sought that life here.”

Having reservations is reasonable, especially if she has concerns about the group they’re trying to associate with, but Miljana senses that there may be some kind of rift between them here, an element that they disagree on.  
“I understand, but don’t you think this is bigger than us?”

“What do you mean?”

“These people are fighting for a good cause, Saya, for something beyond themselves.”

Saya groans and looks away, somewhat annoyed.  
“Yeah, of course you’d say that – you and Dev used to be like them. You’ve been doing this shit for years and it’s in your souls now. I haven’t and I don’t want it.”

Miljana furrows her brows a bit and comes closer.  
“Shouldn’t we do what’s right, though? Isn’t that better than doing nothing at all?”

Saya turns towards her again and shrugs.  
“Then which part of it is ‘right’? Which side in this conflict is ‘just’?  
What if the White Mantle aren’t as bad as these guys are saying and they just wanna stage a coup?”

“Isn’t that technically what the White Mantle already did against the royal family?”

“The King ran away when the charr came.”

“According to the Mantle. Have either of us seen proof of that?”

Saya looks like she wants to say something in return, but she hesitates and realizes that there really is nothing.  
“…no.”

“Exactly. In fact, nothing of what the Mantle has told us have been proven. We don’t really know what their intentions are, who the gods they’re always talking about really are, nor if they truly protected Kryta when the charr came.  
I’m not calling them ‘evil’ or anything like that, not yet anyway. But I think we need to realize that we may have been tricked.”

The words seem to sink in and Saya contemplates them, as well as her position in all this.  
“Anything is possible, I guess.”

“And if the Shining Blade is right about all they’ve said, then we need to make a decision. Do you want us to just sit around, or flee?”

Saya finally turns to look at her again, scowling somewhat as well, before she slides off her rock and starts to move away.  
“I don’t wanna talk about this.”

She doesn’t get very far, however, as Miljana moves after her, seizes her arm and pulls her back. Saya is forced to view her once more.  
“Saya, I need to know where you stand. Do you have no interest in helping them at all?”

Feeling a bit trapped, she pushes the arm off her and takes a step back.  
“Look, I don’t know, okay? I’m not…used to people wanting to depend on me and ask me to sign up for causes like this.”

Miljana’s expression softens a bit, but she doesn’t leave or give her any space.  
“Shouldn’t we at least give it a try and see what happens? We might be able to do a lot of good.”

“You keep saying that we should, but I’m not…”  
She stops and sighs.

“You’re not what?”  
Saya folds her arms again and tries to look away once more, but Miljana closes the distance between them and only gently holds her shoulder this time.  
“You can talk to me, Saya. Whatever is bothering you is obviously important.”

She hears how the rogue exhales even deeper this time and her voice is now hardly over a whisper.  
“I’m not…a good person. I’m not like you and Dev. You should know this already.”

Miljana squeezes her shoulder gently, mimicking her volume.  
“Because of your past life?”

Saya is still watching the forest as she inclines her head.  
“I used to take lives for money, Jana, and it almost didn’t matter who it was that I needed to kill.”

She recalls their conversation from several weeks ago and tilts her head curiously.  
“I thought you didn’t target civilians.”

“Well, sure, for the most part, but I couldn’t always avoid it. Or rather, I chose not to avoid it. I could’ve left at any point if I really tried to, but I kept doubting myself and stuck around, as it was all I knew.  
In the end, I left because _my_ life was threatened, not because I felt that I was doing something wrong.”

While listening to her companion, Miljana is trying to examine the words and the tone of voice being used. She tries to understand her, and whether it’s an unwillingness to act that is at fault, or a sense of shame.  
“That may be true, but things have changed, haven’t they? You’ve been out here for more than two years now.”

“Have they, though? I’m still fighting, despite being off the streets. I’m still killing people, whether I pretend to be doing something good or not.”

“You say that, but you have been doing things that are good too. You’ve been helping us out, haven’t you? Even shown interest in protecting our settlement.”

Saya shifts her gaze towards Miljana and sees the faint smile on her lips. She isn’t sure whether she should be annoyed that someone is trying to prove her wrong or glad that someone believes in her.  
“I…I’m not sure. Even if I have, it feels like I’ve had…reasons. Other than caring about your people, I mean.”

Miljana continues to watch her, seeing how Saya can’t hold her gaze for very long and the ranger wonders what she should say to make it better, if that’s even possible.  
“Well, then what do you want to do? Are you saying that you don’t want to stay with us any longer?”

Saya widens her eyes slightly.  
“What?”

“I’m just asking, and I understand if that’s the case. I know we don’t always agree on everything and you often feel what we do is…questionable, and I guess that’s a reasonable viewpoint. But I’d like to know what you want to do.”

Saya hesitates, opening her mouth, but then shutting it again. She doesn’t usually falter like this, but it’s not often she’s confronted in this way.  
“I…didn’t say that I wanted to leave.”

“Then what are you saying?”

“Well, what I meant was…”  
She searches for the answer in her mind, but very few words are offered to her in response. What a time to be speechless.  
“…I don’t know what I’m saying. This is just such an odd situation for me.”

Miljana can certainly understand it, even though she finds it rather intriguing to see the otherwise quite smooth Saya suddenly be so insecure.  
She slides her hand further down then, until she can eventually wrap her fingers around Saya’s hand.  
“I don’t want to push you into a life that you’d rather avoid. After all, I can’t make you believe in something, when your heart isn’t in it.  
However, what I can say is that, I…want you here. With us, I mean.”

The words sound both genuine and a little bit awkward, as if she feels embarrassed about something that might seem frivolous. Saya lifts her eyes to observe her again and doesn’t find anything insincere in the expression either.  
“Even though…I’m kind of an asshole?”

“You’re not-“

“Jana, I am. I’m a thug, I know that much, and a lot of my personality and opinions are based on that life. Not sure I can ever change that either.”

Miljana is starting to drift towards the opinion that it may be self-criticism which is at fault here after all, but she’s also inadvertently seeking hope in others. Therefore, Miljana wraps her fingers a bit tighter around the hand.  
“I don’t know what will happen after we’re done here, nor what we’ll decide to do, but…as long as you’re by my side, I feel as if I can do it, no matter what we face.”

Saya’s gaze lingers on her, shock intermingled with a rising joy. She isn’t sure what to actually say, or if there are any words that can express the gratitude she feels at being told this. And so, her impulsiveness takes charge instead and she lets her free hand get lifted to Miljana’s chin, as she angles it up somewhat and leans closer. The ranger doesn’t fight it, instead embracing the act while it happens, and she shuts her eyes just as Saya seizes her lips.  
The kiss is sweet and tender, but the depth it takes them to feels like an eternity they do not wish to ever forget.


	22. Serenity undone

The Shining Blade camp has been in a bit of disarray after the arrival of the Chosen they saved, along with the outsiders, who many still show a certain measure of doubt for. Despite this factor, they were given two huts to rest in for the night, thanks to Evennia wishing to establish some kind of understanding between them.

Because Miljana and Sayaki seem to be drawn together, Devona leaves them to have theirs for themselves, while she proceeds to sleep on her own. It’s not like she is alone for the entire rest of their time here, of course, as they meet up during the day to discuss the events, as well as what they should do next.  
However, despite knowing that what they’re doing is important, Dev gets the constant feeling that the couple is a little bit distracted by each other. Not an entirely unexpected outcome, but it makes her wonder how well it’s going to go from here on out. Is she suddenly going to become a third wheel? That would be…unfortunate.

During the second evening, Dev decides to head towards her hut a bit earlier than the other two, figuring that it might be worth to lie in her bed and study some of the information they were handed by the Shining Blade, regarding Maguuma jungle. It’s mostly reports and descriptions from various scouts, but it could be useful when they’re out on their mission.

The huts aren’t all too large, but certainly big enough to stand in and while there are no doors, they do have a piece of cloth which covers up the entrance.  
This is why Dev isn’t ready to hear a knock on the side of her hut, especially since she figured her companions would be busy with themselves.

However, the voice she hears next is not either of them.  
“Hello? Is this Devona?”

Dev blinks and immediately recognizes the sound. It’s Evennia, the one she assumes to be the leader of this particular cell of the Shining Blade, perhaps even more than that.  
“Oh, uh, yeah, I’m here.”

“You mind if I come in?”

Dev is sitting behind some nearby boxes, currently rearranging her gear. The unfortunate part is that she’s not actually dressed on the upper regions of her body, except for a bra. She had prepared to lie down and was therefore in the process of undressing too. Well, at least the boxes might cover her up.

“Uh, I guess not. I’m just fixing some stuff.”

Evennia walks inside and because of the relative darkness, she can’t really see Dev more than the top of her head.  
“Am I disturbing you?”

“No no, not really. If you wanted to talk about something, well, I’m listening.”

As Dev is outside of her view, Evennia looks a little bit annoyed to start with, as she wonders if the Ascalonian will just pretend to be part of the conversation, while actually ignoring it. She does realize that this may be an unfair opinion to have beforehand, and therefore figures it’s best to just try.  
“Good. I thought we could discuss the Shining Blade as an organization for a bit. I don’t believe you and your comrades truly understand who we are.”

“Uh, well, I don’t mind hearing your point of view, but I think we do understand quite well already.”

“Do you, though? So far, I don’t believe any of you have had the chance to get our perspective of the conflict we’re in.”

From the sound of her voice, Evennia is rather serious and Dev looks around, seeing if she can reach a shirt or something. Unfortunately, they’re all outside of her immediate vicinity.  
“Have you spoken to either of my friends about it?”

Evennia hesitates for a moment before clearing her throat.  
“Well…no, not exactly. But I believe I can guess what their answers would be, if I judge their current reactions well enough.”

“You’re a rebel group, right? Even though the Mantle calls you ‘bandits’.”

The other woman sighs slightly as she folds her arms and shakes her head.  
“See, I knew you were going to say that.”

“Is it not true?”

“Not entirely. We’re more than just rebels. Just because we fight the White Mantle, it doesn’t mean that this aspect defines our entire existence.”

“Fair enough. Then what does?”

Evennia tilts her head, trying to get a better view of Dev, but it almost appears that she’s attempting to avoid being seen.  
Sighing, Evennia continues to pace around the hut a bit, while she speaks.  
“We are Krytans. When I say this, I don’t mean that we are just our nationality. We are fierce, stout and eager individuals, patriotic and loyal, not just to our people, but the crown.”

“Oh. You serve the King?”

“Not…entirely, no. Well, the King is gone anyhow and we don’t care about him, not after what he did.  
However, we remain loyal to the true rulers of Kryta – the royal family, which still exists. The White Mantle thinks they can eradicate them entirely and tear apart any hope that our nation will return to what it once was, but we will not let them succeed.”

Dev can definitely relate on certain levels, seeing as how she was a faithful follower of her King and Prince, before this all began.  
“I see. Couldn’t the White Mantle claim to be just as patriotic, though?”

Evennia snorts and shakes her head.  
“They certainly can, but it would be no more than a lie. A lie like all the others they have told.  
You know, it’s almost funny that they continuously call us things like ‘bandits’ or ‘thugs’, while compared to them and their murderous ways, we have a motto, a belief which we must follow.”  
She stops for a moment and almost seems to remember something that she has tried to rehearse.  
“’Offer protection to the weak. Give solace and shelter to those who need it. Be ye a salve to the wounded’.”

Dev looks surprised for a second and remains silent until she glances over the boxes.  
“That’s from…the Scriptures of Dwayna, isn’t it?”

Evennia meets her eyes and almost appears a bit amused.  
“Glad to hear I’m not the only one who follow the teachings of the Five.”

In response, Dev smiles light and shrugs.  
“I had a devout grandmother, who used to read these things to me when I was younger. The belief in the Five was always strong in general around Ascalon, though.”

It appears that Evennia appreciates this, with the way she nods.  
“Faith will certainly be needed in this endeavor, but also courage and a fierce determination.  
I hope you and your team will be ready to do what’s necessary.”

“We are, trust me.”

Evennia enjoys the tone in her voice, but still remains skeptical.  
“Your words sound sincere to me, but this fight will require more than that. If you three choose to join us, you will likely be tested.”

Dev arches an eyebrow slightly.  
“Are you doubting our resolve?”

“I must admit that I do, at least a little bit.  
Your team was a little too eager to listen to the White Mantle, after all. That was a mistake.”

Hearing this, Dev rolls her eyes and almost stands up, but for now, she remains where she is.  
“Yeah, we know that now and we admit it. One mistake won’t undo everything we’ve ever committed to before, though.”

“The problem is, I know nothing more of that than what you can tell us. Your tales of resistance in Ascalon, while fascinating, may be no more than needless boasting.  
I’m telling you this so that you can understand how important this fight is to the Shining Blade. The odds we struggle against isn’t just an overwhelming force, like the one you had to face, but a general lack of belief from our people too. Many of them choose to believe the White Mantle, because they either have no other choice, or because they are too easily tricked. Our mission is to change their hearts as much as winning the war.”

It’s a little bit difficult to say it can really be called a war, seeing as how this rebellion is much smaller than what the White Mantle can create.  
However, Dev ignores this for now and instead focuses on the lack of belief in her and her two comrades. It’s not that she doesn’t understand the reasons, just that she knows she’ll have to prove herself and she is more than eager to do so.

Finally dismissing any ideas of modesty, Dev stands up and reveals herself fully, which makes Evennia widen her eyes in mild surprise.  
“Look, I get it, okay? We’re not completely clueless when it comes to a fight for freedom, nor what it is to struggle with your people not believing in you.  
You think that our people stayed strong against the charr? Sure, we didn’t have them suddenly turning against us, but we had to fight against something else – despair. Seeing how your home was turned to a wasteland; thousands of people slaughtered or enslaved everywhere; finding that your life gets worse and worse without food, water or shelter. Our people were withering away, instead of being tricked and that was just as difficult, if not even more so.”

While Dev speaks, Evennia has somehow completely stopped. It’s not entirely certain if the warrior notices, but Evennia’s eyes travel down the other woman’s body, examining the toned and firm physique, especially around the abs and arms. She wants to say something, but is almost too shocked to do anything.

Dev may see it, but she somehow misinterprets it as being surprised with the passion and therefore Dev decides to continue.  
“And hey, it’s not just the Shining Blade who cares about this place. We’ve come here to put all our faith in this land, in hopes of finding a new home. This is everything we have, and we cannot give up, if we are to survive.  
Yes, we may have believed the White Mantle at first, but what else were we to do? They invited us and gave us somewhere to stay. They were polite and even saved us when we were back in the mountains. How were we to know that they also believe in a bunch of gods that try to sacrifice innocent citizens?”

Evennia is still just staring at her and while Dev figured that the leader was simply impressed at first, she’s now starting to doubt this thought. Even if she might’ve been taken aback at first, there’s just no way that she would be so speechless after seeing this little show. Something else must be up and Dev is starting to feel uncomfortable.

“…what?”, Dev finally asks.

Hearing the suddenly raised voice and the question, much better than the speech, Evennia’s gaze suddenly go back up to Dev’s eyes again.  
“…huh?”

“What’s wrong? You just suddenly went quiet.”

For a moment, Evennia seems to look around searchingly or at the very least surveying Dev again, before she begins to back away.  
“N-nothing!”

“Was it something I said? You looked so shocked.”

Evennia raises her arms and waves dismissively as she turns around.  
“No! Nope! Definitely not!”

Dev looks even more confused now than she did before.  
“Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving!”

As she seems to flee, Dev pursues her, but no further than the entrance. She doesn’t actually want to walk around the camp topless.  
“Wait! Didn’t you want to talk about the Shining Blade?”

“I’ve said all that I needed to!”

“You hardly even started!”

However, despite calling out for her, Evennia simply continues, practically running and has quickly created a lot of distance between them. Dev isn’t sure what she did wrong, or what in the Mists actually happened, but now she feels unsure. Perhaps she needs to find her again in the morning and apologize if she offended the other woman somehow.

What she doesn’t notice, is how Evennia eventually stops when she’s out of the sight, and breathes rather heavily. She feels her heart pumping and even though it’s not noticeable, her cheeks are very warm.  
“Evennia! Are you alright? You look exhausted.”

Reacting with shock again, she turns to see Salma this time, seeming almost as confused as Dev was.  
Trying to shake off some of her flustered exterior, she puts a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder.  
“I…I’m fine! Absolutely fine. We uh, we should talk about your training a bit, I think.”

Salma blinks and hesitates.  
“What? Now? But it’s late.”

“Nonsense! Come on, let’s grab some tea and speak about something. Anything, really.”

The unfortunate youngster is dragged off and has to distract the Shining Blade leader, to keep her mind off a certain sight that she will have a hard time to forget anytime soon.


	23. Blood of the ancients

In the depths of the Maguuma jungle, hidden down in the darkness of the bottom floor, lies ashen ground, stained with stones of blood. Very little vegetation grows in this soil and even most of the predators avoid it, as to not be driven mad by the powers buried within.

On top of one of the platforms in this fen, a half dozen white-cloaked and armored figures are gathered around eight civilians, who are only dressed in simple clothing and sit on their knees. The Chosen have had their arms and legs tied up, but their mouths have been left alone. Several of them whimper, while some ask questions or tell the soldiers surrounding them to let them go. The White Mantle knights ignore the pleas and signs of fear, as they all seem distant and transfixed, concentrating on their prayers and what is about to occur.

From the northern part of the circle comes a particular individual, his armor adorned with a few marks of higher rank, wielding a sword in his left hand. He looks at the civilians in the middle, but regards them as nothing more than fuel for what’s to come.  
  
“I am the scythe, the Bringer of Salvation”, he begins to chant, holding a rather even tone.  
“And I shall harvest the souls of the Unbelievers.”

He separates himself from his fellow knights, and grips the weapon tighter in his gauntleted hand. Several of the Chosen gain even more fear in their eyes and they want to escape, but there is nowhere to go, nor do they have the ability to move very far, unless they try to desperately slide across the ground.

“For their stench will linger”, he continues.  
“Until the false gods have been cast from this world.”

He stops in the middle of where they’re sitting and begins to gaze into their eyes. Some of them can’t help but look back, while others have theirs drawn to the ground or closes them entirely. The smell of the earth here is foul, chemical in its essence and penetrates everything else. It increases the misery that they feel.

“You have been chosen for the bloodletting”, he tells them.  
“For the Unseen must forever remain guarded from purging eyes of the world’s scorn.”

He raises his blade up, looking along its length and letting what little light exists in this place shimmer across the steel.  
A second later, he moves it in a swift arch towards the closest of the civilians and decapitates them in a single strike. Screams and groans of fear can be heard echoing throughout the valley from the rest, but they cannot avoid the inevitable.  
One by one, the knight cuts the Chosen down – slicing their throats, cutting their chests and stabbing their hearts.

No more than half a minute later, the dark soil is stained with the blood of the Chosen, as is his blade. He kneels down on the ground and holds his weapon up slightly above it.  
“Take this offering into your hearts,” he says.  
“And grant us the gift of everlasting strength, as only your caress can provide.”

He stabs the blade into the ground, and as he does, magic awakens in the stone. An enchanted circle begins to surround him, creating lines and runes of power, which makes the entire area shiver and it is felt through light quakes in the earth.

On another platform to the south of this location, another group of people, in a similar size as the White Mantle, arrives just in time to witness the slaughter, but not to stop it.  
The shock they feel as they see it happen is difficult to describe, and for most of them, they sense the rage building up within their minds.

“Hablion!”, Miljana calls out.  
“You goddamn bastard!”

In a mild sense of surprise, Justiciar Hablion and his personal guards divert their eyes towards the voice and spot several familiar faces. Hablion himself snorts slightly as he gets back on his feet.  
“Well, well, now this is certainly interesting. I must admit that I had not expected to ever see you again. To think that you survived the dangers of the jungle. I wouldn’t have believed that a group of outsiders would be capable of it.”  
His eyes shift to look upon two particular people that he recognizes as well, especially from reports he had received in the past of their activities.  
“And it looks like you brought a few…friends to this gathering as well”, he comments. “It appears that the Confessor was correct when he told us to watch you. I think he always knew you would turn traitors, sooner or later.”

When she hears it, Devona clenches her fists and grits her teeth.  
“You dare to call us traitors?! It is you who have betrayed and _lied_ to us, Hablion! You told us that the Chosen would be taken to the Temple of the Unseen, that they would be uplifted! This is not what you promised!”

Hablion snorts and waves dismissively.  
“You are mistaken, Ascalonian. The Chosen you see behind me were indeed uplifted and used for a higher purpose. Their blood and souls will be used to serve the Unseen Ones.”

“By murdering them?!”

“By allowing them to be fuel for the purposes of the true gods of this world – not the old false ones.”

Evennia stands not too far away from Dev and she folds her arms, while snorting derisively.  
“You see now? This is what the White Mantle truly is – fanatics and killers.  
And on that note, it’s fairly interesting that you speak so ill of the Five Gods, Justiciar. I seem to recall that they never ask for anything like what yours do, and certainly not human sacrifices.”

He frowns back at her and sneers.  
“Nor do they actually perform anything for our people either. They are lazy and uncaring beings, masquerading as gods.  
The Unseen Ones are true to their definition and protected Kryta when it needed them the most. In return, they can ask for anything they wish.”

The anger builds up in several of the people standing before them, but not as much as in the ranger who now grabs her bow and have prepared an arrow in the blink of an eye.  
“The Five Gods’ names will not be compared to these foul monsters, nor will they be squandered by the likes of you, murderer!”

Her arrow flies towards him quite effectively, but unfortunately, he is quicker than that and manages to just barely dodge it. They all see how it lands just behind him, piercing the ground. He tightens the grip around his weapon and waves to the rest of his group.  
“White Mantle, prepare for combat! Kill these heathens!”

Dev raises her arm, grabs the hilt of her hammer, and is first to rush towards the vine bridge between their platforms, trying to set herself up as the shield between their enemies and her team. Sayaki is close behind her, as she pulls out her daggers and monk runes begin to swirl around Evennia’s arms, as she prays to the Five Gods for strength.

Further back, Miljana and Isidro provides ranged support, and while the ranger’s arrows are quite deadly to the White Mantle, even as they use shields, she now gets to witness the positives of having an elementalist on their side.  
Isidro cannot ask the earth to aid his powers at this time, due to the corrupted nature of it present in this valley, nor is the wind strong enough this far down, but he does have the talisman around his neck. Holding it in his hand, she sees how fire forms around his arms and then spreads to the ground, starting to surround him. With a simple wave, it follows the motion and shoots forward in the shape of a pillar, blasting into the closest White Mantle and making them explode in flames. Miljana is certainly pleased to see that he can operate quite well by their side.

As Dev handles several of the White Mantle on her own, assisted by Nakota and Evennia, Saya has ran past these fighters and gotten into a duel with the Justiciar himself. To begin with, she forces him on the defensive, as her attacks are fast and annoyingly precise, but this act doesn’t last forever. One thing she notices is how her attacks are just barely out of range, missing just when she thinks she’s going to get into a gap of his armor, before he knocks her aside.

“You think you have the power to strike down a chosen warrior of the Unseen Ones? Foolish girl!”

Saya snorts at him and parries his blade, trying to keep the distance between them short enough for her to reach him.  
“You’re quicker than you look, big guy, but I’ve faced tougher.”

She speaks with quite a bit of confidence, as she ducks beneath his blade and slides into a weak spot in his defensive position.  
She’s just about to stab into his waist, when she feels how his gauntlet slams into her side and she loses her breath, completely missing with the strike. The next moment, he takes a step forward, knees her into the gut and then attempts to slice her with his sword.

While she’s weakened by this sudden turn of events and not really used to taking so many hits, she at least has the smart notion to get out. She doesn’t manage to avoid getting hit, as the blade cuts into her right arm, but she at least avoids a fatal wound. Saya lets out a brief cry of pain while she stumbles to the ground.

Hablion stands above her, looking quite pleased with himself.  
“A thug like you could never defeat true warriors of the White Mantle. It is a shame you realized this so late, but the world will likely be better without your existence.”

He raises his sword once more, intending to cut her down, when he feels a presence behind him. He widens his eyes and is just in time to block an enraged Miljana, as her short sword collides with his. The look in her eyes is something he would almost compare to the fire of a predator out for blood.  
“Don’t you dare touch her, you fucking bastard!”

“And now I have to contend with the cat too? Run off little beast, before your blood will fill the stones of this cursed earth as well”, he exclaims in return.

He knocks her backwards by shoving his weapon against hers, gaining some ground and then attempts a wide swing. Unfortunately, Miljana is a lot faster than he expected and dodges it rather expertly, before she gets into a similar position as Saya did earlier, when she attempted to stab him. However, compared to last time, Miljana miraculously manages to avoid his punch and she takes the opportunity to dig her blade into his gut.

As his eyes shoot open in shock, due to the pain, she doesn’t give him much time to recuperate. While leaving the sword in his body, she unsheathes a dagger from her belt, leans down and slashes at the back of his knee as well. He shouts in agony as he falls down to the ground, trying to keep himself upright, but drops his weapon in the meantime.

Before he manages to pursue it, he feels how Miljana moves in from behind, seizes his helmet and tilts it backwards to expose his neck.  
“May Grenth curse your soul and forever doom you to be lost in the Mists”, she says, practically whispering to him, as if she hopes it will come true.

Shortly after it is said, her blade finds the skin on his neck and she slashes it open, letting his blood stain the earth, just as what he did to the Chosen.  
She lets his body drop down to the ground and stands above him, breathing heavily.

After a few moments of staring at his body, she raises her gaze to see how the situation is with the others. She notices two of the White Mantle having practically been burnt alive, while another has been carved open by Nakota’s claws and fangs. There’s of course one which Sayaki stabbed when she tried to get past the knights earlier, while the last two were downed by Dev; one with his head bashed in, the other with a crushed chest.

Now that the fight is done with, Dev and Nakota are both mildly injured, but it is Saya who Evennia comes to first, in order to heal, seeing as her wound was particularly grievous.  
Miljana watches the exchange for a moment, before she manages to collect enough of her voice to speak.  
“Will she…be alright?”

Evennia nods, but doesn’t share her gaze.  
“Yes, with a bit of healing, some bandages and rest. She was lucky, I will say that much. A little bit deeper, and she might’ve lost her arm.”

Miljana nods, glad to hear she came in time. She looks at Saya, but the other woman is mostly gritting her teeth due to the stinging pain of the healing magic trying to pull her skin back together.  
Instead, Miljana looks up at Isidro, who currently stands at the back, possibly watching for more enemies in the area.

“The proof you have given us here is enough”, Miljana tells them.  
“We now realize what they truly are, and I believe we’re all convinced what needs to be done.  
We will join your cause. The White Mantle must pay for what they have done here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _For those who have seen the Bloodstone Fen cutscene in the first game, you might've noticed that I added a few lines to Hablion's speech. It was a little bit short for my taste, so I felt that I needed to add some to it._
> 
> _Also, I do see the irony in someone screaming "KILLER" and then proceeding to kill the people they just accused, of course. For me, it is sort of the dilemma, the inherit hypocrisy of a group of people who have lived through a horrific event like the Searing and the slaughter of their people by the charr. Miljana and Devona were forged in war and they know very few ways to deal with situations, other than to kill their foes._   
>  _Obviously, they might not have had much choice here anyway, but yeah, they have become very violent because of their past. I'll try to explore this more in future stories._


	24. Alternate futures

A few weeks have passed since the first attack on the White Mantle and the death of Justiciar Hablion. From what Miljana, Devona and Sayaki noticed, it didn’t take long for the White Mantle to react to their changing allegiance – for some reason, they seemed to have known rather early on. Whatever the reason is, the trio doesn’t really care, as they now have a mission and it actually feels like they’re doing much better work than what they did for the Mantle.  
In some ways, the Ascalonians are a little bit uncertain, as they wonder if they might just get themselves trapped in a cycle of war once more, but they do currently get the sense that this one might be easier to win than what overwhelming opposition they faced against the charr.

During all this time, the team has been working with the Shining Blade, and more specifically, another trio that often seems involved with leadership – Evennia, Isidro and the young Salma. From them, they also hear that the Shining Blade has secret communication with other factions, such as the Lionguard, which occasionally help their organization with supplies or information.

Miljana has also noticed that there’s something going on between Evennia and Dev, but she’s not sure what. Some days, they appear to be quite friendly, while at other times, they hardly even want to look at each other. Is there a lack of understanding present in their interactions, or are they just constantly fighting and trying to mend it? For now, it’s probably best not to ask too much, as she’s not getting any answers out of Dev.

After another successful strike against a White Mantle operation, saving a few more Chosen, the trio has been invited to a private meeting with Isidro and Salma.  
At first, they’re not sure what it’s all about, until they enter the hut which was indicated to them and find the duo sitting by a table with what looks like a bottle of wine and some baskets of fruit. It appears that the only agenda they had was to allow them to celebrate a bit.

As they take their own seats by the table, Isidro starts pouring some of the wine into simple wooden mugs, which is basically the best they can produce out here.  
In the meantime, Salma smiles as she watches the three and gestures for them to start eating.  
“Isidro and I figured it was time we sat down and just enjoyed ourselves a bit. You have been doing so much for us and we’ve been very thankful that you could see things our way, but we realized that we hadn’t properly showed our appreciation yet.”

Isidro starts handing out the mugs after he has poured some for everyone.  
“Yeah, makes me feel kinda stupid for how I reacted when you people first got here. Had I known you’d throw yourself into our fight so eagerly, I’d have been more open-minded.”

Miljana offers a gentle smile towards him.  
“It’s alright, I think we all understand how you feel. It’s not easy to trust strangers, especially when we were working for the enemy at first. We’re glad that we were able to prove ourselves to you.”

Saya nods in agreement and then lifts her mug to sniff the contents.  
“Mhm. What’s this stuff you’ve got for us today, though? Smells pretty good.”

The elementalist turns his gaze to her and smirks.  
“Ah, this was a bottle I managed to…requisition from the personal items of another high-ranking Mantle knight. Figured we would have more use it for than him.”

That seems to please Saya as she grins.  
“Hah! You’re my type of guy, Isidro.”

He winks at her, while Miljana rolls her eyes.  
At the same time, Salma still looks rather pleased that they’re all sitting together like this.  
“It means a lot to us that you are willing to sacrifice everything to help us save Kryta from the White Mantle. We wouldn’t have expected people who are so new to our land to enter our conflict with such enthusiasm.”

“Well, we should probably admit that it’s not all out of kindness”, Miljana tells her.  
“They did lie to us and withheld the truth of the horrors they perform. Part of this is to do what’s right, of course, but there’s also some revenge intermingled with it.”

“I understand, and I do not blame you for feeling this way. Doesn’t make what you’re doing less brave.  
And hey, from what I’ve seen, we’re already making strides on defeating them. It might not be soon, but one day, I truly believe we will be able to bring freedom to Kryta. And this would mean freedom for your people too, in your settlement, as our lives are surely unified at this point. We are all Krytans now.”  
Salma gives them another smile.  
“I will make sure that you are rewarded, when this is all over.”

Miljana and Saya appear to be quite surprised by her statement and share a quick look, before turning back to her.  
“I see. And uh, is there a particular reason for why you would be the one to reward us?”, Miljana asks.

Salma looks at them as well, not really understanding the question at first, before she suddenly widens her eyes and seem embarrassed at what was said.  
“Oh! Uh, well, I-…  
No, I was just, erm…”

Isidro understands that she has gotten herself into a difficult situation and realizes that he must help distract them, and therefore raises his mug.  
“Hey, you know what I think it’s time for? A toast! To the vanquished, to Kryta and our future victory!”

Miljana smirks and shakes her head, while Saya raises her container too.  
“I’ll drink to that”, she remarks and they all connect their mugs, except for Dev, before having a sip of the wine. It appears to be a fine vintage as well, as the taste is quite exquisite.

“By the way,” Isidro continues, “gotta say that I’m very impressed with your tactics against the White Mantle. I mean, I’ve been involved with several operations against them, but yours are a lot more efficient.”

Miljana shrugs briefly.  
“Well, when you’re able to survive against the charr for a few years, you do pick up a few useful tricks in handling much larger forces.”

“True enough, I suppose. But you people don’t just provide fierce opposition, as there seems to be a certain…passion behind it all as well. I appreciate that.”

Saya looks amused and glances at her companion.  
“Yeah, that’s Jana alright. She often gets that way. You might not have noticed it at first, but she's got a lot of flare in her.”

Miljana smirks and folds her arms, as she gives Saya a similar gaze.  
“I don’t like being tricked, that’s all.”

“Remind me never to pull a prank on you, babe.”

They hear Salma giggling, while Isidro is more focused on what they’ve been discussing.  
“I must admit this fight wasn’t quite what I had expected it to be when I got into it”, he says.  
“Fighting the White Mantle from the shadows, always watching your back, being afraid of them finding you and destroying everything you’ve accomplished in a single assault…it's difficult to handle at times.”

With a somber expression of her own, Miljana leans forward and rests her arms on the table.  
“Yeah, I know how you feel. Back in Ascalon, it was even worse, as we also didn’t have much to actually fall back to.  
However, we’ve learnt to adapt, to prosper where it might seem impossible and beat the odds. It’s not easy and it’s not fun, but it may be all you have.”

His eyes appear distant for a time as he considers what she says and then nods curtly.  
“I suppose you’re right, but it doesn’t bring much hope to those around you, which is what we need.”

“It does, but just not in the way you think. Small victories are always the ones you have to grab and accept as more than what they may seem. A lot of small ones eventually become something larger.  
That’s the way we operated, using guerrilla tactics in the wasteland of our old home. It’s gruesome and some days you just wish that you could give up, but with enough determination, wit and, of course, some skill, you can succeed.”

The duo on the other side almost feel as if they’re speaking to some wise old veteran, with decades of experience, but they know the lady in front of them is about the same age as Isidro and has not been fighting even close to her entire life. It seems she has simply had to gain a lot of experience very quickly.  
“We appreciate your advice, miss Vlasic, and I think we can learn much from you, if you’re willing to share your knowledge”, Salma tells her.

Miljana smiles and inclines her head.  
“I’m sure we’ll all be ready to give as much expertise as we have, but don’t look to us for victory all too much. After all, it was we who fled Ascalon, not the charr.”

After this, they continue to drink and discuss some simpler topics as well, as to not get bogged down in the gritty aspects of reality.  
However, Isidro does not want them to completely forget what it is they’ve been talking about and once they’ve had a bit more to drink, loosened up somewhat and perhaps reached at least a mildly intoxicated state, he raises another subject.

“Oh yeah”, he starts, “I did not mention it earlier, as I wasn’t sure how you would react, but perhaps now is as good of a time as any.  
You’ve all been doing so well, helping us with our attacks on the Mantle, but you don’t really seem to actually need many of our other members to make it happen. Evennia said that maybe I should suggest you start some kind of small strike team, which operates in between the rest of our activities, almost independently.  
And uh”, he clears his throat, “well, maybe you would have need of a magic user in such a team?”

Miljana and Saya both seem interested in this, but also a little bit surprised. The former then puts down her mug on the table.  
“You want to join us?”

“Yeah, I do. Well, if you don’t mind, that is. I understand if you prefer to…not have too much involvement. Like I said, your team seems to have a lot of synergy already and I don’t want to interrupt that, but…I feel as if I could add another aspect to your tactics.”

Miljana raises a hand to rub her chin, while Saya tilts her head curiously, giving him a little bit of a skeptical gaze.  
“Not that we aren’t interested”, Saya remarks, “but we don’t know you very well. I mean, you’re an alright guy from what I’ve seen so far, but I think we wanna know more if you’re gonna be fighting by our side.”

“I agree,” Miljana adds.

He nods curtly and straightens himself a bit, hoping to shake off some of the drunken blur which has started to descend upon his mind.  
“Fair enough. Would it suffice if I simply tell you about myself?”

“That’s a good start”, Saya says.

He takes a deep breath, as he feels not just their eyes upon him, but also Salma’s, who will likely scrutinize every word.  
“Very well, I will do my best.  
I…don’t know what you’d find useful but, well, I’m from Kryta, as you probably understand, in a region called Sanctum Cay. Been living there for most of my life.  
I have always been rather patriotic, which is why I was drawn to the Shining Blade to begin with. Most of this is due to my father – he fought in the last Guild War.”

Miljana looks rather interested to hear this, even if she’s not exactly surprised.  
“I figured there had to be something along those lines, especially due to what you mentioned on our first proper meeting.”

Isidro coughs somewhat awkwardly and looks a bit guilty.  
“Yes, that was uh…yeah. Some of my anger was based on that conflict. My father was killed in a battle with Ascalonians.”

Saya goes even more silent than before, but Miljana simply nods.  
“Ah, I see. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Well, it was we who were invading your land at the time, so it is not completely your fault, I suppose.  
I will admit that the past still lingers on my mind at times, but in regard to our current situation, I will do my best to not let it become an issue. You have more than proven yourselves to me at this point, after all.”

Miljana gives Dev a glance, to see her reaction, but the warrior is quiet for now, looking distant. She wants to get Dev's attention, but it feels rude to interrupt Isidro right now.  
“What about your magic skill?”, Saya asks. “Was your father a mage too?”

“No, he was not.”  
Isidro raises a hand to scratch at his chin.  
“In fact, I can’t quite remember where it came from. I just know that magic has always been something I’ve been able to grasp. I had an affinity for it early on in my life and my mother made sure I could be trained for it. There were a few other elementalists aiding the local farmers and citizens with various tasks, and they were willing to take apprentices in return for resources, which we provided.”

“You’re pretty good at what you do”, Miljana mentions. “At least when it comes to setting people on fire.”

Isidro chuckles, as he seems particularly pleased about that.  
“Yes, offensive magic has always been my forte and focus. Overwhelm your enemies before they can strike back – that has always been my motto.”

Saya smirks somewhat.  
“I think you and I are gonna get along quite well, my friend.”

At the same time, Salma gives him an amused look.  
“You falter in other areas, though.”

“Ah, yes…”, Isidro says, while he scratches the back of his neck.  
“I uh, I do have a certain…understanding for support-based spells, but I suppose my training could use some tuning.”

“That’s an understatement. It’s probably more likely that you’d splash yourself in the face than being able to heal someone.”

Isidro gasps, exaggerating his shock a bit for show.  
“Excuse me?! I would do no such thing! My healing abilities are more than adequate.”

“I think you and I have a different definition of ‘adequate’, Isidro.”

Saya laughs and Miljana smiles somewhat, as they watch the two Krytans mess around. They’ve already noticed the friendship between these two, but it’s still quite fun to see them like this.  
Eventually, Miljana leans over the table and reaches out with her hand.  
“I think we’ve heard enough. While we won’t give you immediate membership, I think you’ve earned yourself a trial, at least. Congratulations.”

Isidro's face shines up into a pleased grin and takes her hand to shake it.  
“Thank you! I truly appreciate you giving me a chance and I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Yeah, let’s hope not. It’d kinda suck if we have to kick you out and still stay around the same camps. Think of all the drama!”, Saya exclaims jokingly.

Finally being given an opportunity, Miljana looks towards Dev, seeing as how she hasn’t really said anything. There is a little bit of distance between her and Miljana, but not enough that she wouldn’t have heard what they’ve been discussing.  
“So, Dev, what do you think of this? Think you can handle another one in our team?”

At first, she doesn’t respond, merely sitting there staring down into her mug, but she seems to acknowledge that her name was spoken a few seconds later and looks up, almost dazed.  
“What?”

“Uh, have you been listening at all?”, Saya asks, with a raised eyebrow.

Dev opens her mouth for a moment, but stops herself before she can say anything, in order to sigh.  
“…sorry. I’m just a bit…occupied, that’s all.”

Miljana tilts her head slightly, feeling how she stands on the line between curiosity and worry.  
“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“…probably?”

Dev isn’t fully looking at any of them, as her eyes drifts around searchingly instead. Eventually, she decides to turn them towards Isidro and Salma.  
“You guys mentioned Evennia earlier, right?”

“Erm, yes? What about her?”, Isidro asks.

“Do you know where I might find her? I need to speak with her about something important.”

Salma hesitates for a moment, wondering what it might be, but realizes that prying probably won’t help.  
“I believe she’s currently trying to arrange some of the squads for the next week or so. She told me she was too busy to come here, anyway.”

Dev nods and then stands up, moving towards the exit. Miljana calls out, just before she leaves.  
“Hey, where are you going?”

“To give Evennia something else to be busy about.”  
And without further explanation, she disappears. While she doesn’t believe anything drastic will happen, Miljana hopes that Dev doesn’t do something stupid.


	25. Sharing hearts

Despite being surrounded by so many people in the Shining Blade camp, and actually having very little time to set aside for themselves, it hasn’t prevented Miljana and Sayaki from trying their best to occasionally be alone. For the past few weeks, this has mostly included the occasional moments in between missions, with passing kisses and lingering touches, allowing them to at least have something to think about.  
Up until this point, they’ve promised each other to not get involved further, as long as they’re busy with the cause they’re devoted to now, or when being in the camp. This worked out pretty well…for a few weeks.

As the evening drifts towards night, one particular hut in the camp had been emitting quite a bit of muffled noise, and if one got close enough, it would’ve been possible to hear brief traces of moans and pleased gasps. Not that anyone would’ve been able to actually enter, as Nakota lies on the outside, constantly watching the area, just in case someone tries to intrude upon the privacy of those within.

After having spent the first night together above the same set of sheets, the duo now finds themselves lost in the aftermath of a very satisfied exhaustion. With half-closed eyes, Saya is stroking one of her hands down the long brown hair of her companion, while the other is resting at one of Miljana’s hips. In the meantime, the ranger herself has her head snuggled up against Saya’s neck, as one of her legs lies on top of the lower regions of the other woman. Their bodies are neatly intermingled, and they enjoy the sensation of being able to touch each other like this, something they’ve both been longing for.

For several minutes, neither of them wants to move or break this peaceful moment, and it seems as if they might just let it be and fall asleep in this fashion. But before it happens, Miljana lets her eyes drift open once more and she raises her gaze to look at Saya, wanting to see the face of the woman who keeps seizing more and more of her heart, the longer time they spend together.  
While she watches Saya, however, she notices something fairly interesting – it appears that the assassin is smiling about something.

“What?”, she asks softly.

This gets Saya’s attention, who opens her eyes a bit further and turns them towards Miljana.  
“Hmm?”

Miljana lifts the hand which had been resting on Saya’s chest, so that she can run one of her fingers along the lips instead.  
“What are you smiling about?”

At first, Saya blinks, not having realized that she was doing this and therefore clears her throat. Miljana almost believes that she starts to look a bit embarrassed.  
“Oh, I uh…I was just thinking about something.”

“Anything in particular?”

“Yeah.”  
She hesitates, uncertain if she wants to mention it, as elements of this subject might ruin the current mood. Then again, she doubts Miljana would act in that fashion.  
“I’m just glad that you’ve hardly even reacted.”

The ranger watches her for a few seconds, letting her eyes study Saya.  
“To what?”

“Well, to my…appearance, I guess.”

“Oh. I see. Should I have done that?”

Saya shakes her head briefly and Miljana feels how the hand at her hip begins to move a bit in circles around the same area.  
“Not really, I guess, but…I’m just used to people asking.”

Miljana continues to look at her with interest, finding several aspects to Saya’s expression that she feels she can interpret quite clearly – embarrassment, obviously, but also regret and a small bit of annoyance. She doubts the latter is towards her, or she hopes not, at least.  
“Are you saying they’ve been cruel to you?”

“No, no, not at all. However, what few partners I’ve had in the past have at least questioned me at first. They wanted to know what led me to this decision, why I felt that way, what it entailed and a bunch of similar stuff."

“I see. And it bothered you?”

“Mm, sort of. When you’re not like everyone else, it becomes kinda obvious and you keep getting the same questions.”  
She turns her gaze towards Miljana again and smiles once more.  
“It’s why it was both surprising and refreshing to me that you didn’t even seem to notice, or at least not care.”

“Surprising in a good way, I hope?”

“Oh, yeah, obviously! If it was bad, would I be smiling like an idiot right now?”

Miljana chuckles and shakes her head.  
“No, I guess not.”  
She then lets her eyes drift further down along Saya’s body, and strokes one of her hands over Saya’s breasts, caressing them gently. Not enough to be passionate, but mildly sensual at least.  
“Personally, I don’t see why it would matter. I like you for who you are and I’m attracted to you for that reason. Small details don’t really make much of a difference.”

Saya is thankful for those words, but then she feels another smirk coming, as she can’t stay serious for long.  
“Excuse me? ‘Small’?”

Miljana laughs a bit further this time.  
“You know what I mean!”  
She leans up again to plant a kiss on Saya’s cheek.  
“If we were to actually talk about private matters concerning you, I’d just rather let you decide when we bring it up.”

Saya smiles once more, closing her eyes as she tilts her head to rest it against Miljana’s.  
“Yeah, and I’m thankful for that.”  
She inhales for a bit, wanting to collect her thoughts, before she decides to tell the ranger at least one thing. Feels like she deserves it.  
“If you’re wondering, I went through some pretty extensive magical treatments several years ago. Those days were…difficult and painful at times, mostly due to the nature of it. I endured it, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. It helped define who I am, in my eyes.”

While she talks, Miljana stays silent, merely observing her and waiting for a gap. She notices that Saya doesn’t seem intent on going into the ‘how’ and ‘who’ of the matter, and Miljana won’t push.  
“Sounds like not everyone agreed.”

“Yeah. There were…family members who had differing opinions.”

“They tried to stop you?”

“Sort of. Not quite like that, but felt like I was making a mistake with my lifestyle in general. A certain opposition to the treatments was just a part of it.”

She waits, noticing how Saya grimaces somewhat, while she pulls her gaze away. Whatever happened during that time, it’s clearly not something she enjoys remembering.  
Miljana raises her hand, sliding it along Saya’s cheek and guides her back, so that they can face each other again.  
“Are you happy as you are now?”

“Yeah, of course I am.”

“Do you regret the decisions you made in your old home?”

Saya doesn’t produce an immediate response here, as she hesitates a bit, but soon briefly shakes her head.  
“No, for the most part, I don’t.”

“Then that is what’s important here. As long as you are happy and feel like you don’t need to look back at the past with uncertainty, then you should allow yourself to forget it and move on.”  
She leans closer and nudges their noses together.  
“I’m here for you now, and no revelation of yours will change that.”

The little speech sends warmth flowing throughout Saya’s body and she feels herself grasping Miljana even tighter, pulling her closer and lets their lips connect in a kiss, one with an underlying tone of gratitude. She’s thankful not just for Miljana being here, but for caring.  
“You better not try to get away anytime soon, because I don’t think I’ll be able to let you go.”

Miljana snorts amusedly and leans down to rest against Saya’s neck once more.  
“Don’t worry, I’ve got no plans to leave.”

Feeling how they’re likely going to focus on their rest for what remains of the night, Saya moves one of her hands around to try to find the sheets, which they seem to have pushed away during the fun they had earlier. After a few moments, she feels a piece of cloth that she seizes and pulls to her, but instead of getting what she wanted, she sees a red article in her hand, which is much too short to be the thing she needed.

“Crap, this is your sash. I didn’t-“  
Before she continues, she decides to pull it closer and observe it for a bit, with what little she can see through the aid of small rays of lights that pierces the gaps in their hut. She narrows her eyes and uses both hands to extend it above her.  
“Hey, don’t think I’ve ever seen this thing when it’s not on your body.”

Miljana opens one of her eyes and tries to spot what Saya is talking about.  
“What?”  
When she sees what it is, her hand instinctively grasps Saya’s body a little tighter, but not all too much.  
“Please be careful with that.”

Saya moves her gaze away from the cloth and instead tries to look into Miljana’s eyes.  
“This thing doesn’t look much like a sash, actually. It’s a bit too big.”

Waiting for her to do or say something, Saya doesn’t move until Miljana lifts her hand to take the piece of cloth down and holds it closer to herself.  
“It’s not a sash. Or it wasn’t to begin with, anyway.”

“What is it then?”

Miljana seems to get somewhat distant as she watches it and strokes her thumb in an absent-minded manner against its surface.  
“It’s a cape. It belonged to a friend of mine.”

“You carry this thing all the time, as far as I’ve seen. Must’ve been a very important friend.”

At first, it doesn’t seem as if she wants to talk about it any further, as she simply stays silent. This is broken several seconds later, by a heavy sigh.  
“In a way, she was, but I didn’t know her for very long.  
There was this little girl back in Ascalon, called Gwen. When the war against the charr had gotten closer to our part of the nation, she got into trouble a few times. I helped her out whenever I could, and it brought us closer together. She admired what Dev and I did to protect our people, and she sometimes tried to come with us, hoping to become like us someday and protect Ascalon at our side.”

“How old was she?”

“Not more than ten years. She was…such a sweet, kind and happy little girl. When things seemed tough at times, she would come to us and bring our spirits up with a song or some game she hoped we would like.”  
She grasps the cape a bit tighter.  
“Life wasn’t easy for her, though, which is why I decided to give her a present one day, in hopes that she would be a bit happier. She didn’t have any coins of her own and couldn’t purchase a gift for me in return, but as she really wanted me to have something, she offered her cape. I knew it was important to her and told her she didn’t need to give me anything, but she insisted. It was too sweet of a gesture for me to decline.”

It brings a smile to Saya’s lips to hear Miljana speak of what seems like a very enjoyable memory, but it doesn’t last for long, as Miljana doesn’t share in the notion of it. Very unfortunate thoughts enter her mind then and she needs to inquire.  
“Is she…?”  
The sorrow is now almost palpable within Miljana’s eyes and she slowly shakes her head. Feeling a growing sadness of her own, Saya embraces the ranger and puts comforting kisses on her forehead.  
“I’m sorry.”

“It’s…it’s alright”, Miljana says, but still has to swallow rather hard as she speaks.  
“Guess I’m just not past it yet.”

“And I’m not blaming you. It’s only been a couple of years, far too little to be a distant memory.  
But if this is important to you, then it is of equal value to me. I will do everything I can to protect it.”

While she doesn’t respond with any words, Miljana doesn’t need to, as she clings to Saya, in order to show her appreciation. It appears they are both as dependent on having the acceptance of someone they respect and the ability to speak of their heartaches.


	26. Affectionate opposites

Despite the initial trepidation of getting too much involved with one another, the fact that Sayaki and Miljana have now discarded the doubts has opened an ocean of opportunities. The next two nights are also spent intertwined in the same bed, and even during daytime, it helps to distract them from other elements in the Shining Blade camp. Miljana can manage it quite well, but Saya - who often gets bored with discussions of patrols, tactics and future strikes - has a lot of difficulty with ignoring her heart. This has made her quite clueless in regard to other signs in the camp, which she probably would’ve noticed otherwise.  
Tonight, however, all that takes a turn towards the unexpected.

Late at night, after Miljana has fallen asleep, Saya suddenly feels an urge to use the bathroom, or what passes for one in the jungle. Being very good at moving stealthily, she leaves the hut and sneaks through the area, hoping not to wake too much people up. Not like it matters, but she has no interest in chatting with anyone, and just wants to get to her business.

However, just as she moves to pass by a tree that’ll take her into the right section, she suddenly stops when she notices two figures nearby. It’s dark where they’re standing and it might be difficult for some to see, but Saya has pretty good eyesight, even during nighttime, and manages to identify them both. That’s Devona and Evennia, isn’t it? And they’re standing rather…close.

At first, they don’t seem to be doing much, other than looking at each other, but it soon appears that they start stumbling through a conversation. Saya should not really get involved and just continue to her destination, but her curiosity won’t let her leave now. She needs to know what’s going on.  
Temporarily suppressing her needs as best as she can, she lowers herself to the ground and walks closer with bent knees.

“Listen”, she hears Evennia saying, somewhat hesitantly, “I…I know what I said the other day and I realize it may have been a bit…I dunno, foolish.”  
Diverting her eyes to the ground, she raises a hand to scratches her neck.  
“It wasn’t fair to the confront you like that, and I should’ve explained better. I’m sorry.”

Dev has her arms folded and she looks at Evennia searchingly for a moment, before she tries to find some way to respond. Saya can practically feel the awkward tension in the air.  
“Well, uh, it was a bit sudden, I suppose.”

“Yeah, I know. It was hasty too, and I didn’t mean for it to be.”  
Evennia sighs and shuts her eyes, shaking her head in regret.  
“I completely understand your hesitation. That’s why I asked you to come here tonight. I mean, I shouldn’t be making demands of you.”

“Demands?”

“Yeah. I guess it’s obvious, but I tend to be very blunt, even when I don’t mean to be. Salma tries to tell me that I should work on that, but it’s not easy…”  
She opens her eyes again, looking up at the taller woman, still quite reluctant.  
“What I intended for this to be didn’t quite turn out that way. It was…foolish.”

At the same time, Dev’s expression softens and she loosens her stance somewhat at first, as if she intends to reach out, but stops herself before she goes too far. She doesn’t even know what she would try to hold anyway.  
“Well, I don’t think you should be all too harsh on yourself. You didn’t offend me or anything. I understand why you wanted to be so…direct. I just, uh…”  
She clears her throat and Saya is pretty sure that she can see how Dev looks shy. Not quite what she had expected from the otherwise pretty tough warrior.  
“…I’m just not used to people telling me this to my face, in such an overt manner.”

Evennia exhales and raises her hand to rub her own forehead.  
“Yeah, see? I didn’t want to push you away, which is why I-“

She doesn’t get much further, however, as Dev raises a hand to make her stop.  
“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m saying that I erm, I…share your interest.”

A mildly surprised look appears on Evennia’s expression as she widens her eyes.  
“You...you do?”

“Yes. Well, I mean, I don’t know you all too well just yet, of course. We’ve only been around each other for a few weeks, but, I have to admit that I…really like you.”  
She turns her gaze towards Evennia, who watches her at the same time, rather expectantly. Dev takes this as a sign to continue.  
“You’re passionate and determined, two aspects that I enjoy quite a lot. You’ve got a lot of attitude too, and while that can get kinda, erm…pushy sometimes, I don’t really mind much.”  
Dev seems to amuse herself and she looks down shyly again, while smiling.  
“…Jana always said that it’s probably the type that attracts me, but I told her she was wrong. Guess she may have had a point, after all.”

Well, Saya hadn’t expected that she would be walking into some kind of confession on her way to the toilet, but for now, she ignores that and instead tries to examine the situation.  
Evennia and Devona? She had heard Miljana mentioning that those two seemed to have been fighting and that there was some kind of possible rivalry between them. Saya hadn’t really cared, as she doesn’t want to get too emotionally involved with this resistance group, but perhaps she should have. Were there signs she should’ve been looking for, some obvious fire of affection between these two? She can’t recall her girlfriend mentioning anything of that nature, at least.

Evennia watches Dev, and she continues to hesitate, uncertain what to tell Dev in return. It’s not that she is entirely shocked by the revelation, but it seems more likely that she doesn’t know what the best course of action would be to proceed with.  
Eventually, instead of saying anything at all, she takes a step closer, almost completely removing the distance between them, seizes Dev’s collar and drags her down into a more manageable height.

Their lips collide a fierce kiss, much deeper than either Dev had expected or Evennia had intended, but now that they’re caught in it, neither seem ready to let go. Well, Dev hardly even moves, as she doesn’t know where to place her hands, but her eyes do close while she returns the gesture, letting her lips following the general flow of the desire displayed from her companion.

Whether either of them intended for it to be longer or not is hard to tell, but it’s Evennia who eventually separates them, as she lets go of Dev’s collar and lowers her feet back to the ground. Her gaze is immediately drawn to the ground again, but she doesn’t actually leave the immediate vicinity, and neither does Dev.

“…sorry”, Evennia says, practically whispering. Her cheeks are somewhat heated and she fidgets with the bottom hem of Dev’s shirt, trying to gather her thoughts.

Dev herself is unable to move for several seconds, trying to steady her breathing, and most likely, the pumping of her heart.  
“For what?”

“I just…”, Evennia groans, seeming annoyed about something. “I didn’t mean for it to be so damn…eager.”

Once Dev has managed to collect her thoughts and removed that sense of being overwhelmed, she finally decides that remaining still won’t do either of them any good. Evennia soon feels how one of Dev’s hands rests against her waist, which pulls her eyes back up.  
“It’s alright. I don’t mind it, really.”

When their sights are locked, Evennia tries to locate any deception in the expression of the other woman, hoping that she doesn’t.  
“Are you sure?”

She’s rather fortunate, as there is none and Dev merely smiles.  
“Yeah, I am. I uh, I kinda like this side of you. You say you’re too blunt, but I honestly don’t mind. I find it quite…attractive, actually.”

Evennia stares at her, possibly being caught in between the notions of confusion and uncertainty. Has she not had experiences where people have enjoyed her mannerisms, or has she simply not tried?  
Either way, she soon accepts what she’s told and allows herself to approach, leaning in against Dev. She chuckles, while she lifts a hand and slides it along the other woman’s chest.

“Not what I’m used to hearing. Most people think I’m too forceful.”

“Why?”

“I dunno. Maybe it’s just part of who I am? They seem to think I demand too much of them, that it's somehow less appealing and more…intimidating, I guess.”

Dev shrugs, agreeing with the sentiment to a certain point.  
“I suppose it’s not entirely inaccurate, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. You know what you want, and I can appreciate that.”

Evennia smirks slightly as she arches one of her eyebrows and pushes herself closer to the taller woman. When she speaks next, her voice is a little bit more suggestive.  
“You know, it’s kinda funny how you – someone so large and strong – prefer to let others lead.”

While Saya sits several meters away and it’s still quite dark around her, she can still clearly spot the blush on Dev's cheeks, through the small bits of moonlight.  
“That’s…not true! I can enjoy taking charge too!”

“Right, sure you can.”

“Hey, don’t give me that sarcasm!”

Evennia laughs gently, a rather pleasant sound to Dev’s ears, and soon after, she’s pulled back down, as Evennia holds onto her collar once more.  
“You say you can appreciate that I’m assertive? Then, what if I tell you that I know exactly what I want right now?”

Dev’s face reddens even further, and Saya is pretty certain that she can see how the warrior swallows, even if she can’t hear it.  
“I uh…I dunno. I guess you’d have to tell me in more detail.”

“Certainly, let me show you.”

The kiss that Evennia pulls her into next, is far more confident and infused with further passion. The demand she spoke of earlier displays itself quite clearly here, and she leads Dev’s lips on a journey that she is forced to pursue, whether it was her part of her initial plan or not. Despite a small portion of her wanting to fight back, and say that she won’t simply be guided, they both know that this isn’t the case. All that can ever come out of her now, in that fashion, would be obvious lies.

Saya observes their craving behavior for probably half a minute, something she finds more appealing than she initially believed. She wouldn’t call herself a voyeur but…well, she probably shouldn’t finish that thought.  
Eventually, Evennia manages to stop the kiss, at least temporarily, and Saya can hear both of them panting.

“Would you perhaps like to discuss this further in my hut?”, Evennia asks.

“I wouldn’t mind doing that”, Dev says, shortly before Evennia grabs her wrist and pulls her through the outskirts of the camp, out of view for Saya.

The rogue remains in the position she has been in for the last several minutes, trying to process everything she witnessed. She had always figured that Dev wasn’t quite as orderly and prudish, which she might’ve feared for a time, but now she at least understands why Dev seemed passive in most aspects of such approaches.

Once Saya has relieved herself in the right corner, she smugly sneaks back towards the hut that she shares with Miljana. As she prefers to let her girlfriend get some rest while she can, she suspects that the next morning and breakfast together with their companion, is going to be a very intriguing one. It’s not like she’s going to be able to keep this secret to herself. The question is, how far will she let it spread?


	27. Path to hope

As a new day dawns in the Maguuma Jungle, activity is already filling the confines of one of the several Shining Blade camps hiding in the depths of the trees and vines, as they keep themselves out of sight from their enemies.  
In the last few weeks, they’ve made a lot of progress in beating back the White Mantle from various areas in the western sections of Kryta, as well as Maguuma Jungle. The Mantle is hardly in retreat, of course, but they aren’t advancing as much, nor are they as confident about bringing the Chosen into the jungle anymore.

The new strike team, with Miljana, Sayaki, Devona and Isidro, have been very efficient when it comes to battling their foes. The Ascalonians especially seem to know better than anyone when it comes to the idea of fighting overwhelming odds and while they don’t win every challenge they face, they certainly do a lot to inspire the rest of the organization they’re tied to now.

The only thing that worries them, of course, is the Ascalonian settlement. They currently have very little contact with their home, and have only occasionally managed to send a bird with a letter and received something in return from Captain Greywind.  
For now, it appears that the Mantle won’t try to punish the village for it, thankfully, but they are watching it and restricting some of the residents’ movements. The Captain informed them that he has had to publicly denounce the duo and take away their privileges of living in that settlement, but they can live with that. If they actually succeed against the Mantle overall, freedom will come to their entire people anyhow.

While they remain confident, not everything is as bright and positive as it may appear. Evennia has called the group in for some kind of emergency meeting, and while she didn’t say much else, they have a feeling that she may have some bad news.  
The hut they use for this encounter is in one of the corners of the camp, away from the hearing range of most rebels. Evennia herself stands behind a table as they enter, and has a slightly crude map of Kryta put out above it.

“Good, you’re here. There’s a lot of people who require my attention right now, but I needed to inform you of what’s going on before I get to any of that.”

The rest of the group are quite aware by now of what’s been happening between Evennia and Dev, but neither of them have allowed themselves to actually speak of it. While they keep themselves fairly neutral in these situations, it’s clear that there’s a certain amount of affection in the air. Mostly, it’s the looks they give each other and briefly exposed smiles.  
“You’re not in danger, are you?”, Devona asks.

“Not me personally, but our plans aren’t progressing quite as we may have hoped.”

Saya folds her arms and arches a questioning brow.  
“What do you mean? We’ve been doing pretty well out in the field, as far as we know and the Mantle hardly ever comes into the jungle anymore. Looks like a win to me.”

Miljana nods in agreement.  
“Indeed and we’ve already been able to establish a few new camps further to the south and east, along with several more recruits.”

Evennia sighs and waves her hand dismissively.  
“Yeah, I know that and it’s good progress, but unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that the White Mantle is losing – they’re just regrouping. Much of what they had out here was scattered to begin with, as they didn’t really fear us. From what our scouts further into the land have been able to tell us, the Mantle is now turning the largest parts of their attention towards the jungle and might bring entire divisions unto us. While I’m proud of what we can do together, I’m not sure that we can sustain ourselves in an all-out war.”

Her words silence them for a moment, as they consider the options. It is definitely possible that their enemies have many more reserves hidden away, and from what they’ve been able to tell, it’s not like they have difficulties with recruiting more people either. They just take what they need and many are eager to follow, as it means a better life. Still, the thought of the Shining Blade not actually standing a chance right now, does seems farfetched.

“I hope this doesn’t mean that you’re getting ready for surrender of anything,” Isidro tells her.

“No, of course I’m not. Giving up is never an option, but we do have to consider maybe…altering our view on what we must do and prepare escape routes if things go poorly.”

Dev walks a bit closer, looking down at the map on the table.  
“Have you heard about anything specific so far?”

“Well, I don’t think we’ll be seeing troop movement outside of our camps just yet, but there has been quite a lot of people gathering around Divinity Coast, as well as the Talmark Wilderness and the soldiers keep rolling in.  
I don’t want to say that an assault is ‘imminent’, but…”

Her statement ends in a sigh as she shakes her head, and they see her point. While most of them find it reasonable, Saya seems quite annoyed.  
“Dammit, I knew we should’ve considered this crap further, before we joined you.”

She gains the attention from most of the others, and Evennia begin to frown.  
“Excuse me?”

“You people are the ones who got us into this mess, and I bet you knew exactly what would happen. This was never an easy fight to begin with, was it?”

“Hold on, where did you get that idea from? We didn’t aim to get you killed, if that’s what you believe.”

Miljana turns to address Saya as well.  
“We weren’t exactly unaware of the dangers either, Saya. We knew this would be tough.”

Saya scowls back at Miljana.  
“Yeah, sure, we were prepared for a war, but not a _massacre.”_

The harshness she displays creates a tension that is very apparent and difficult to deny. Dev doesn’t quite know what to say and Miljana seems to be uncertain which side to take in this kind of argument.  
Isidro, who has actually gotten to know them a bit further as of late, steps in.  
“Hey, let’s calm down here, shall we? Have we given you any inclination that we knew exactly what was going on? We’re not omniscient beings, just rebels.”

Saya rolls her eyes.  
“Shut up. Anyone can make that excuse. You don’t need to know everything to realize how fucked a situation can be. You’ve obviously got scouts, so you know what you’re doing.”

“Yes, of course we do, but that doesn’t mean we know _everything_. That said, I’m sure we’re already in the process of making a plan that can counter these bastards.”

“Pft, yeah, sure you are. Can’t wait to watch that shit fail.”

Dev gives Saya a slightly skeptical gaze.  
“Saya…”

However, before they continue arguing, Evennia gets their attentions as well.  
“No matter what you believe of us, Isidro is correct – we do have a plan. It’s not a perfect one, but it’s the best we’ve got.  
I’m still rather uncertain as to our chances of fully beating the Mantle as well, but I know someone who can improve them – Vizier Khilbron.”

The name silences the group for a moment, sharing glances with each other, before they all turn to watch Evennia.  
“…who?”, Miljana asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Vizier Khilbron is a powerful sorcerer, a necromancer who used to serve as the foremost advisor to Reza, the King of Orr.  
In the past, it was said that he even communed directly with Grenth in the city of Arah.”

The city is a place that most of them have only heard of in tales and distant news, never actually seen or met anyone from, but it’s well-known to most humans. It's where their species first arrived on Tyria, where the gods used to reside and where they departed from when they left this world.  
However, other news from that land has been far more distracting as of late.  
“But”, Dev starts, “we thought that Orr was destroyed by the charr, when they invaded.”

Evennia sighs and lowers her gaze to the table, crossing her arms now as well.  
“Sadly, that is true, at least as far as we know. Every piece of news we’ve received points in that direction.  
However, somehow, the Vizier managed to survive. After a time in absence, he finally appeared before some of our agents outside of the jungle, and now seeks to help us.”

Miljana tilts her head curiously.  
“Uh, why would he suddenly want to help Krytans?”

“Apparently, he believes in our cause and now that his own homeland is destroyed - along with the unfortunate downfall of Ascalon - he wants to help preserve those that still exist. He dislikes the White Mantle and thinks that letting us win is the best path to survival.”

For now, most of them accept her explanation, except for Saya.  
“Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming?”, she asks.

Evennia shakes her head, not sure if she feels that Saya’s lack of faith is unfair or unavoidable.  
“You’re right, of course. He will help us…but he needs something in return.”

Saya groans briefly.  
“I knew it.”

Dev doesn’t seem as bothered, however, but intrigued.  
“Alright, what is it he wants?”

“He has asked us to retrieve the Scepter of Orr, a powerful artifact that originally came from his homeland, as the name suggests. What it does, we’re not quite sure, but it’s not something we should worry about at this time.”

Miljana raises a hand to stroke her chin in thought.  
“Huh. Pretty sure we’ve heard that name somewhere before.”

Saya nods.  
“Yeah, we have, from the Mantle. I think they said that they had it or…something.”

“They do,” Isidro confirms. “I remember reading our scouting reports quite a while back, about how the Mantle acquired this artifact from somewhere. The undead almost got to it at some point, but the Mantle took it away.”

“And now, we need to steal it from them”, Evennia explains.

Saya exhales heavily and shuts her eyes.  
“By ‘we’, you actually mean us, don’t you?”

“Well…yes, of course. You’re our foremost strike team and have quickly become our best agents too. I can’t think of anyone else that would be better for this task than you.”

Miljana looks at Saya, knowing that her girlfriend won’t be very happy with doing this, but she, on the other hand, can see the necessity.  
“Before we agree, we’d like to know what information you have. Do we have a location?”

“We do, and as you might expect, it’s by a heavily guarded territory.  
The White Mantle has taken it to their most secured position – the Temple of the Unseen. It’s within an area that’s otherwise quite sparsely populated, which most of us call the ‘Riverside Province’, at the edge of the Ullen River. It is why their positions are so much easier to hold.”

Saya shakes her head.  
“Great, so we’ll be facing a lot of opposition.”

“You will, but the plan is not to fight. We can’t actually assault that place, as it would be far too risky. We’d lose too many people.  
Instead, we’re going to arrange for a stealthier way inside. While the rest of our teams coordinate and perform a distraction, your group will sneak inside the temple. They have many watchtowers and guarded positions on the way, so you’ll still need to keep your eyes open at all times.”

Both Miljana and Dev nods, seeming to understand what’s required, but Saya snorts, still unhappy with this suggestion.  
“Sneaking through the terrain is easy enough, but how do we actually get into the temple itself? I doubt they’ve got a lock that I can pick or anything.”

“Of course not, but luckily, we’ve got another preparation made just for this occasion.  
One of our agents have infiltrated the White Mantle itself and is currently stationed in the temple. We don’t know how long his cover will hold, which is why we need to move as soon as possible.”

There are still many questions that await them within this challenge, but there’s at least a sense of purpose, and a willingness to proceed.  
“A risky plan, to be honest,” Miljana admits, “but I believe it can be done. We’re few enough to be able to infiltrate this place and then leave without being spotted.”

Dev turns to Evennia, a hint of worry shimmering in her eyes.  
“It sounds to me like the majority of the danger will be on your end and the rest of the Shining Blade. Are you…sure you’ll be okay?”

Evennia looks at her, partially understanding her intention, but she puts up a hand to dismiss it.  
“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need anyone to coddle me.”

“Oh, I uh…that’s not what I was trying to-“

“I know”, she says, interrupting the warrior. Shortly after, she smiles as well.  
“Thanks, Devona.”

Dev provides a similar expression in return and inclines her head briefly.  
Saya still seems fairly unhappy when she looks at Miljana.  
“I think this plan sounds kinda crazy, but if you want to do it, then I guess I’m with ya. Let’s hope the White Mantle are as lousy at watching their territory, as they are at fighting.”


	28. How the blade falls

The southwestern parts of Kryta are usually some of the most peaceful regions in the land during most months of the year. Except for the ships sometimes coming into Sanctum Cay, when Lion’s Arch is too crowded or when there are merchants who intend to reach traders in other sections of the nation, not much tends to occur here. There are dangers out among the wilds, but the human villages are mostly filled with fishers and farmers, who rarely make much of a fuss. In the past, the roads were protected by the Lionguard, which is a duty that was later given to the White Mantle when they took over and they all contribute to maintaining the soothing serenity. Unfortunately, it has been broken this night.

The darkness is filled with the distant noises of battle, and the occasional flare of either fire or some other explosive source. War has come to this area of Kryta and while it’s not entirely unusual to hear about it, most citizens would’ve hoped to avoid the progressively increasing hostilities.  
In between the various battles, a small group of five people can be spotted along one small road, as they hurriedly make their way towards the harbor nearby. They are not alone, of course, as there are undead creatures following them, controlled by one of the group’s members, which protect the perimeter.

Vizier Khilbron was not exactly the type of man Miljana’s group expected, but they will admit that he does seem capable. His elaborate way to dress aside, it is his glowing blue eyes that get most of the attention and feel somewhat unnerving. So far, however, he has shown to be very eager to assist and has helped to waylay at least two assaults from the White Mantle. It appears that the fanatics continuously insist on taking back the Scepter of Orr, which the group recently obtained. That is also when all of this madness began.

While they spot the boat in the distance, none of them are particularly eager to get themselves towards it just yet. Not that they don’t want to get out of the Mantle’s reach, but something here just doesn’t feel right.  
“Hey, Vizier”, Miljana starts. “I think we need to talk.”

Khilbron glances towards her, his glowing eyes shimmering somewhat in the moonlight.  
“Of course”, he says, with a slightly different accent from the rest. “We shall get to all of your concerns, as soon as we have reached the ship.”

Miljana frowns slightly.  
“No, we need to talk right now. We have to understand what’s going on.”

“As I told you before, miss Vlasic, everything will be revealed when we’re in a secured position.”

She isn’t satisfied with his response, and neither are most of the others, but they let her hold the conversation for now, as she seems most keen on confronting him.  
“Secured? From whom? You or the White Mantle?”

He arches one of his eyebrows in mild confusion.  
“Are you questioning my allegiance, miss Vlasic? I thought I had proved that by now, when I saved your lives.”

Sayaki rolls her eyes.  
“Yeah, sure, ‘saved’. Because we were totally helpless…”, she states dryly.

Miljana sighs.  
“Look, we appreciate what you did for us, Vizier, but that doesn’t prove anything. We know you want the Scepter, but we don’t understand _why.”_

On another side, Devona nods as well, while her eyes are sweeping the area around them. She can’t be sure that the Mantle aren’t still lurking somewhere.  
“You seemed pretty adamant about taking it.”

Khilbron shakes his head, showing his disappointment.  
“Naturally, I wanted to retrieve an artifact that belonged to my own homeland. It is one of the few items which still remain intact from Orr.”

He may have asked to get it earlier, but Miljana is still carrying it. They wanted to be sure that they could reach a safe location, before they would hand it over and while they’ve been travelling together for quite some time now, Khilbron hasn’t made any efforts to forcefully take it. Well, not that they’ve seen anyway. Saya maintains that he keeps giving them glances which makes her nervous.  
“And we understand why you’d want to preserve it”, Miljana admits, “but we need to know we helped you get it for the right reasons.”

For just a moment, he stops and there is something both thoughtful and distant in his eyes, as if he contemplates an aspect they cannot understand. Eventually, he nods with some confidence.  
“Very well. If you must know, I am quite aware of why we are being hunted and while I presume you suspect me, let me ease your minds – I am not responsible. In fact, I know the truth of the matter. The Shining Blade has been betrayed from within and their entire plan has been exposed to the White Mantle. It is why they have hunted us so vigorously.”

His revelation shocks them, although Saya shows the least bit if surprise. Isidro, on the other hand, has outrage on his features.  
“What?! A…a traitor?! Who?!”

Khilbron continues his walk and gestures to the waters.  
“Let us proceed to the ships and I shall relay the rest of the information when we are on board.”

Seeing as how they don’t have much choice and with too many questions swirling in their thoughts, they do as he says, while they approach the ship he seems to have prepared.  
It doesn’t take them long to arrive, and while they’re not inside the town of Sanctum Cay, they have located another rather small harbor, with only one vessel. Once they’re close enough, they spot people - or undead, to be specific - on board. It seems Khilbron uses such creatures for everything.

After taking their first steps onto the deck, Khilbron stops when someone seizes his arm and he turns around to face a frowning Isidro.  
“I want an explanation! Who is this traitor?!”

With a mild frown, Khilbron looks down at the arm and Dev places a hand on Isidro’s shoulder.  
“Hey, calm down…”

“Calm?! This man is claiming that someone has deliberately tried to screw this entire operation up for us! If he’s even telling the truth, that is.”

Once he finally gets his arm free, the Vizier dusts his sleeve off and inclines his head.  
“I assure you, it is the truth. The White Mantle planted agents within the Shining Blade quite a while ago, and have been watching you ever since, looking for any gaps in the system to exploit, constantly feeding information back to Temple of the Unseen.  
Perhaps you have heard of Markis?”

The name is familiar only to Isidro, but he’s not all too close to the guy.  
“Yeah, that’s the name of one of the other camp leaders. He holds one of the southeastern borders of Maguuma Jungle.”

“Yes, very close to Kryta. Quite convenient, isn’t it?”

Isidro looks around searchingly for a moment, but soon frowns up at Khilbron.  
“You’re saying that…he’s the traitor? That can’t possibly be true. He’s…he’s one of those who help coordinate our operations out there!”

Khilbron arches a brow again, almost looking amused.  
“And you believe that would stop him from betraying you? Do not be naive. There are those who are ready to go through any lengths to succeed in bringing down their enemies, and Markis is clearly one such man.”

Finding it difficult to accept, Isidro shakes his head.  
“And what, I’m just supposed to take your word for it?”

The Vizier shrugs and puts a hand in beneath his clothes, lifts something out and then hands a scroll to Isidro.  
“Perhaps this will eliminate your doubts.”

Isidro angrily snatches it out of his hand and unfurls it, but the temperament quickly subsides after he reads through the contents.  
“A letter…from Evennia.”

The rest comes a little bit closer.  
“You recognize her writing?”, asks Devona.

“Yeah, and it’s clearly hers.”  
As he speaks, he sounds almost astounded, as if he can’t possibly believe it, but the evidence is right before him.

Khilbron takes a few steps away and he gesture with his hand, allowing a few of the undead crew members to move around and start preparing the ship for departure.  
“I have corresponded with your leader for quite some time now. Evennia is a smart and very resourceful woman, but she is not all-knowing. It was not until very recently that she managed to see through the deception. Taking the only chance she had, she sent this letter to me.”

Saya tilts her head while she reads it and folds her arms.  
“She told you to get us all safely out of Kryta?”

“Yes, and as soon as I could. She informed me that you are the best hope for Kryta now, seeing as how the White Mantle has all of the Shining Blade’s locations and future plans. It is why they have been so absent and focused on regrouping for so long.”

They notice how Isidro’s shoulders slump and he lowers his hand, while his eyes are diverted to the side.  
“No…this can’t be real.”

“Unfortunately, all of it is true, mister Isidro. I can understand why you have difficulty believing this, but you will have to accept it – the White Mantle has outplayed you all.”

The three women don’t seem particularly satisfied, with both Miljana and Saya frowning, but Isidro already appears to be quite far away. He stumbles towards the nearby railing and slides down with his back against it.  
He raises a shaking hand up to his mouth and tries to keep his emotions intact, but finds it difficult.  
“All we’ve fought for…all we’ve died for…”

Dev shows the most sympathy for his loss and she takes a few steps closer, but not enough to be within touching range. She's unsure if he needs to be alone or not.  
“Isidro, it’s not all lost. Not yet.”

“But for how long? The White Mantle, they…they’ve won. Kryta will fall into their hands. The people, they…”  
He closes his eyes, not even wanting to think about what will happen to his friends and family.

Khilbron watches their exchange, showing no particular concern either way, but interjects regardless.  
“Do not lose hope entirely, mister Isidro. Your friend is correct, as this fight is not over.”

Isidro snorts and shakes his head.  
“Yeah, sure, some will flee further into the wilds, but how much will that change the end result? The cause is done with.”

“As I said, not completely. Remnants of the Shining Blade will be fleeing towards the Shiverpeaks, led by Evennia herself. They will attempt to hide among the Deldrimor dwarves, who she believes they can ask for shelter.”

When hearing this, the elementalist looks up, trying to study the man who has led them here and he wonders for a moment if Khilbron enjoys both breaking and mending their fragile hope.  
“You’re kidding.”

“I rarely make jokes. I find such behavior uninteresting.”

“But…into the Shiverpeaks? Does Evennia really believe that can protect them?”

“She does. However, I cannot say how long that will last.”

Isidro considers this prospect for a short while, with the others watching him, seeing what he thinks about it. He doesn’t rise, but his expression does gain a little bit more resolve.  
“We have to go there.”

Khilbron shakes his head.  
“I understand why you are currently in such a state of flux, mister Isidro, but I-“

 _“No!”,_ Isidro interrupts him sharply.  
“No more of your stupid games or whatever it is you’re doing!”  
He raises his hand, uses the railing to get up again and points at the Vizier.  
“If there is hope for the Shining Blade, for my people, we must help them, _now!_ Don’t test my patience, as I can burn this goddamn vessel down in a heartbeat!”

It’s pretty clear that Khilbron is not one of those who particularly appreciate threats of this caliber, and he folds his arms.  
“It is not where I intend to go. Not until certain things have been completed.”

“Like what?! My people do not have much time!”

“Precisely and it is why we must focus on what is important. You cannot fight the Mantle, not as you are now.”  
  
Isidro is not alone in his assessment, however, and more people take a stand with him.  
“We have to try”, Dev says. “We can’t let the White Mantle win.”

Miljana nods in agreement.  
“Definitely. The White Mantle thinks we’ve lost and that we’re doomed, but we do not go down so easily. We’ve faced overwhelming forces before and triumphed.”

Khilbron glances between them, seeing an increasing determination in most of them, except for Saya.  
“But at what cost?”  
There's no immediate response to this question, as both Dev and Miljana know all too well what destruction they’ve had to endure through the years.  
“Your courage is admirable, truly, and I understand how you feel, but charging straight into battle, or using unorthodox tactics that you are familiar with from your past, is not the way that you can succeed here. There are more aspects to this conflict beneath the surface, which won’t stay silent if you continue down this road.  
Instead, you should focus on accumulating more power, abilities that will help you in truly defeating your foes.”

Saya folds her arms, looking at him skeptically.  
“Uh, yeah, it’s easy to say that, but not as much to actually attain it. Unless you know some way that we don’t.”

“In fact, I do. I maintained the hope that you would have realized it already, but perhaps the shrouded nature of fate has not yet revealed itself for you.  
The only path available, where you might find victory, is in the Crystal Desert. You must complete the trials of Ascension.”

They halt any further questions and look among themselves for answers. There are none.  
“The what?”, Miljana inquires.

“The trials of Ascension are the path to increased knowledge and the ability of True Sight. It is something that only the Chosen can obtain.”

Their eyes suddenly widen with recognition and the shock increases by several degrees.  
“The…Chosen?”

“Of course. You are Chosen as well, and have always been. How could you not have known?”

While he speaks his words with confidence, he is not met with the same belief. Isidro shakes his head.  
“That’s…that’s ridiculous! We can’t possibly be Chosen.”

“You are.”

Saya folds her arms.  
“How? Shouldn’t we have noticed this by now?”

Dev nods.  
“Yeah, we traveled and worked with the White Mantle for several weeks. They would’ve seen if we were Chosen long before we did.”

“Would they? Did they ever actually utilize their rituals upon you directly?”

The group hesitates, trying to remember if they were ever involved, which they obviously weren’t.  
Miljana clears her throat and pokes her foot against the floor of the deck.  
“Well…no, but…that doesn’t prove anything.”

“It does not disprove my claim either, does it?  
You may not believe me, but have you looked into the Flameseeker Prophecies yourselves?  
Those with the strongest sense and ability to defeat the Unseen, even when facing overwhelming odds, are among the group that we know as the Chosen. When the time is right, they will eventually find a way to expose the horrors of their foes, Ascend in the eyes of the gods and gain the powers to destroy the Unseen.”

Miljana shakes her head, still doubtful of his claims.  
“But, that doesn’t make sense. Most of us aren’t even from Kryta.”

“That has never mattered. Your origin is not important, as the focal point lies in what you have become. Are you not all Krytans now?”  
Once more, they keep their silence, unsure how to respond to his words. He doesn’t fully make sense, but there’s just enough uncertainty that they don’t dare to stop these thoughts from flourishing.  
“I read and listened to much of what Evennia told me about the things you had accomplished. It was quite extraordinary, and to me, the signs were obvious. As if coming out of nowhere, you throw yourselves into the situation, as the heroes you are, and save your brethren, your fellow Chosen.”

On one side of the ship, Saya has begun to pace back and forth, seemingly caught in the chaos of surprise and disbelief.  
“But how can I be counted among them? I didn’t come with Dev and Jana from Ascalon and I certainly didn’t want to help the Shining Blade out.”

Khilbron gives her a slightly amused gaze.  
“And yet you did.”

She scowls and folds her arms.  
“Well…yeah, because Jana wanted to.”

“See? Destiny is not as straightforward, nor as narrow as one might believe. It does, however, always find a way.”  
Letting his eyes sweep across the group again, he nods in understanding.  
“I do not blame you for your skepticism. I assume that, if I was the told this from a stranger whom I know very little of, and in such a sudden manner, I would also prefer to not believe it.  
However, at the crossroads that we stand upon, you have two very clear choices – you can face the White Mantle as you are now, with the extreme advantage on their side, or you can at least attempt the trials of Ascension and if you succeed, potentially gain powers that could help you in all your future endeavors.  
What do you have to lose?”

They contemplate his suggestion, seeing the possibilities in both sides. There is certainly something tempting in taking the offer.  
Miljana sighs heavily.  
“If we go with the second option, what would this mean? Where do we have to go?”

“Unfortunately, I do not have all the details, but I do know who does – the locals in the edge of the Crystal Desert. If you agree, I will take you to the Amnoon Oasis, which is a town on the western coast of the desert. All the answers of how to proceed will be found in that location.”

Several seconds go by, but no words are spoken. Instead, they all survey each other, seeing what the general mood among the group is. There’s not really any eagerness or resolve in their gazes, just a sense of a resigned nature. They might not want to admit it, but he has got a point, and this may be their best chance to combat the White Mantle.  
Eventually, Miljana shakes her head and shrugs.

“I guess we don’t have much of a choice, really. Take us to this town, and we will see what we can do. We've still got questions, though, and you better answer them before we arrive.”

He smiles and clicks his fingers, initiating a spell that makes the boat immediately start to move.  
“Splendid. Then, we shall make the journey that will take us closer to Ascension. Let us hope that the gods look favorably upon you.”


	29. When time stops

Vast sandy dunes, warm winds filled with the dust that permeates virtually every single piece of this land, with only the occasional interruption of green, like a brief salvation in the middle of a wasteland. The sun stands tall up in the sky, increasing the heat and the overwhelming sensation of dread for all travelers who would dare to tread on this soil.  
The group has arrived in the Amnoon Oasis, a small harbor at the edge of a very large and quite unwelcoming territory.

Before they went onto the shore, Khilbron gave them enough information regarding where to start their journey and how to ask for further directions. He departed shortly after. Apparently, he must return to Kryta and do his best to help the remnants of the Shining Blade, which Isidro obviously appreciated. The trials are not for the old Orrian and he told them that it’s all up to them to succeed.  
From what they can remember of what he explained, he told them to ‘keep a lookout for lingering elements of the past’, which will apparently ‘provide them with the insight they need’. Rather cryptic and not the most helpful hint they’ve ever received, but they’ll take what they can get.

Wandering through the fairly empty path ahead, they can see that there are humans gathered here, but not a lot. People from various cultures can be spotted all around, with natives, Krytans and Elonians being the most prevalent visitors.  
The town itself is arranged in a very peculiar manner as well. Instead of buildings of any kind, the foundations for the settlement are several large tents and remains from various ships and constructions. It seems very possible that these people are simply another generation, built upon the leftovers of whoever came before. Currently, there don’t appear to be any coordinated efforts to rebuild either.

On top of this, all of the team gains a rather strange feeling as they move across the roadless paths, as if there’s something eerie surrounding them. It’s difficult for them to describe, but Miljana and Devona will admit that it carries a similar sensation as when they walked into the catacombs beneath Ashford Abbey, back when Ascalon was whole. It’s not impossible that this area is haunted, of course, but there are no obvious signs of where it would be coming from, unless the entire region is filled with it.

When they approach the location they were searching for, they eventually end up at the edge of the town, which gives them a view of their potential destination. Miljana takes this opportunity to stop and really bask in the sights, along with whatever trepidation she can gather for what is about to come.  
“The Crystal Desert.”

Sayaki is nearby, and halts in her step as well, glancing at her girlfriend, before she follows the gaze out over the landscape.  
“That’s what they call it, yeah. Can’t say I see many crystals.”

Miljana smirks and shakes her head.  
“It’s not a description.”

“Yeah, I know, but think of how much easier it would be? We could probably get rich if we sold an entire desert filled with crystals.”

“Pff. That’s possible, but I think we should search for more in life than simple riches.”

Saya now turns a similar expression at her companion.  
“Speak for yourself. Everything is easier if you’ve got a lot of gold.”

“Well, if you don’t like the name, what would you call it then? Just ‘desert’? That’s not very imaginative.”

With an amused expression, Saya raises a hand and gestures across the view before them.  
“How about ‘looks like a pile of shit that the gods abandoned ages ago and will definitely get you killed upon entry’ desert?”

Miljana snorts.  
“I don’t think it’s quite as catchy. Besides, I doubt it’s that deadly.”

“You sure of that, babe? Do you actually know anything about it?”

With a small smile, Miljana pulls at the hem of her cloak and pulls it further around herself.  
“Not a lot, but some, yes. The desert was mentioned in the annals of my clan.”

Saya now looks curious and tilts her head slightly.  
“Oh? For what reason?”

“On the other side of these wastes, lies the land where my ancestors once came from – Elona.”

Looking out over the same place as Miljana, Saya tries to imagine what sights there might be beyond what she can currently see.  
“They didn’t cross it, did they?”

“No no, that would take far too long. They sailed around it instead. But they did have a lot of stories of the dangers within. Some members of clan Vlasic occasionally made journeys deeper into its territory, trying to find resources or provide information for anyone who made extended trips.”

“I see. Anything that we can actually use right now?”

Miljana shakes her head briefly.  
“Not really. I mean, first of all, this was centuries ago now and it’s very possible that things have changed since then. Secondly, this was on the other side of the desert, many miles from where we’re currently standing. I doubt that this place is so static that it doesn’t change at all across the entire length.”

Saya opens her mouth and is about to respond, when another voice interjects before she manages to.  
“You would be surprised how much an understanding of history can aid you in the depths of this fallen land.”

Both women, along with Dev and Isidro who are nearby, all react with varying degrees of shock as they try to see who just spoke. There was a slight echo to the voice and when they scour the vicinity, it is difficult to locate the origin.

“Who…who’s there?”, Miljana manages to ask, while her eyes desperately search for a source.

A few seconds later, they all finally get something within their sights, although it’s not from a person actually stepping out from anywhere, but a creature materializing before them.  
As if out of nowhere, a transparent humanoid appears among them, dressed in a type of armor they are not familiar with. The color has mostly drained from his body, but they do see remnants of a black beard, as well as a skin tone of darker shades.

His glowing eyes sweep across the entire group, and when he speaks, there’s something deep and raspy to his voice, making the individual sound somewhat exhausted.  
“Your connection to the desert, even through time, may certainly have something to do with your purpose here.”

Isidro and Saya immediately take a step back, with the latter putting her hands on the hilts of her weapons. Dev and Miljana don’t feel comfortable either, but are not quite as startled by the revelation.  
“What in the Mists?!”, Saya exclaims.

“A ghost”, Dev remarks with a thoughtful tone.

Miljana surveys the creature before she dares to continue.  
“Who are you, spirit, and what do you want?”

After scrutinizing each of them, his sight is soon set upon the ranger as well.  
“I am the remnant of a long-lost warrior, a hero, fallen upon the endless dunes.  
As for my purpose, it is entirely tied to your fate.”

Isidro frowns.  
“What fate are you talking about?”

“You are the Chosen, are you not? Yes, I can sense it. There is an aura of…determination to you, a presence that goes beyond mere coincidence.”

The group look among themselves, surprised that he would be able to sense it without any difficulty.  
“How?”, asks Miljana. “How could you know this by just looking at us?”

He slowly raises his arms to fold them over his chest.  
“My knowledge is no coincidence either, of course. There is a very simple answer for why I need nothing else than my eyes to see the blatant truth – we are kindred.”

Once more, he manages to stun the group into momentary silence, but there’s a slight melancholy drifting in the air afterwards.  
“You were Chosen?”

“I was, a long time ago, far before your births.”

“What happened? Why does your spirit linger?”

He sighs and lowers his gaze to the ground.  
“With a strong belief of what we were, I brought my people into the desert from Elona. I led them in pursuit of Ascension, self-assured that we would pass through the trials without much difficulty.  
Unfortunately, I was wrong and we failed. Due to the circumstances of this failure, our spirits were left here among the sands, and we are forced to roam.”

Not exactly the kind of response they were looking for. An entire people came into this desert to complete it and failed? What chance do these four truly have then?  
Dev clears her throat and hopes to change the topic just a little bit.  
“Are you the one who Khilbron wanted us to meet?”

The ghost shifts slightly to face her.  
“I do not know that name, but if you were searching for truth, then it was inevitable that you would stumble into me.”

“You know about the trials then? Can you inform us of what we need to know?”

He inclines his head slightly.  
“I can. The trials are difficult to predict and grueling to endure. Those who Ascend are meant for greatness, beyond any other mortals who wander upon Tyria, just as it was spoken in the Flameseeker Prophecies.  
Ascension is one of the most crucial stepping stones in completing the prophecy, as explained by the prophet in ages past. The trials you shall face are challenges, meant to test your strength, mind and spirit in ways you cannot predict. The ultimate goal will be to complete them in such a way that you show yourselves worthy in the eyes of the gods.  
When they have been completed and if you have succeeded, you shall be taken to the location of the prophet, where you will know the truth of the words spoken so long ago.”

Some of what is said is quite difficult to grasp and not straightforward enough to actually create any solid conclusions from. However, it’s the last bit which gets Miljana’s attention.  
“Hold on, you’re saying that the prophet is still alive?”

“Yes, it is true.”

“Who…who is this prophet? What could have made them survive for this long?”

After a few seconds of staring at her, he shakes his head.  
“I am sorry, I can say no more than what has been given. If you truly wish to find the truth, you know where you must go.”

He points out towards the desert, straight into the distant unknown. Saya emits a heavy sigh.  
“Of course. Goddammit…”

“The path to Ascension will force you to locate the Forgotten. It is not an easy task, but they have what you seek. They are both your aid and your obstacle.”

Miljana arches a confused brow.  
“The Forgotten? What…are they?”

“In your eyes, they will look like reptiles, serpents, but with an intelligence beyond most humans.  
Legends say that they have slithered upon Tyria for a long time, even before the civilizations of humans. When our people arrived, we pushed them away, forcing them into the hidden corners of the continent. They are found in certain places where humans won’t often tread, and the desert is certainly one such plane.”

Dev appears to be unsure of this notion and raises a hand to scratch at her neck.  
“So, uh, we’ll have to fight them?”

“In order to reach the prophet, that is a necessity. However, take heed to not always raise your weapons. Fighting can be done with more than the edge of a sword.”

Saya smirks.  
“Don’t worry, Dev has got a pretty heavy hammer that can do the trick.”

Ignoring the joking attitude of her girlfriend, Miljana continues the conversation.  
“So, you want us to just wander into the desert? Even without these…Forgotten, it’s not like there are no other dangers.”

The ghost nods.  
“True enough, but it is the only way forward. You must proceed into the desert to find what you seek. Make your way to Augury Rock, where the first test shall be administered.  
Ready yourselves in every way possible, for once this is done, you will know yourselves more than you could’ve ever imagined. Success will be met with victory and grace, but a loss of vigilance shall lead down the stairs of failure, where your fate will end up similar to mine. Let us hope the cycle ends here.”

After that, he disappears and they all take a deep breath, trying to absorb what they’ve just been told. They realize how they’ve really gotten themselves into quite a heavy and virtually painful series of events, but ones that can no longer be halted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yeah, I know that it's said that each grain is actually a crystal on closer inspection, but none of them really wanted to lean down and check._


	30. Among death's grains

Heat, brightness, confusion. The Crystal Desert is an unforgiving place for most who enter, and only those who are able to adapt and persevere in the most desperate of situations, can truly survive in its depths. This has created an environment where the majority of those who live inside of it are, for the most part, either extremely dangerous creatures, or prey that are fast and clever enough to avoid a lot of the predators.

In amidst all of this chaos, the group of Chosen, led by Miljana, has been wandering towards their destination, wherever that’s supposed to be. They weren’t really given any directions of where to go or what to look for, but they figure that it is likely one of the tests which they have to succeed with as well.  
So far, they haven’t had it easy. Centaurs was the first group they had to face, very early on during their journey, which certainly surprised them. Do those bastards manage to live in any kind of environment?

After having survived several assaults, they were able to continue their journey, but not without issue. They ran into a small group of far more bestial beings, which Isidro informed them are known as minotaurs. They were vaguely reminiscent of dolyaks, but more aggressive, muscular and filled with fangs and claws. Either way, with some tactical thinking and clever maneuvering, this group was also taken care of, even if they received some injuries during the attacks.  
Despite the success, the team has this lingering worry that there are still much tougher challenges to encounter within this unwelcoming territory.

Even if it is scorching hot around these parts, it is not completely windless, which they might have found quite appealing, if it wasn’t for the fact that it also happens to blow a lot of sand towards them. This is the exact reason why they bought some protective gear. All of them are wearing long pieces of cloth, similar to scarfs, to shield their faces, having them wrapped around their heads and necks. It does also help somewhat against the burning rays of the sun, even if they don’t really feel like they want to roam beneath it for much longer.

During the middle part of this day, Miljana, who’s in front, hears an exhausted grunt behind her. When she turns around, she sees how Sayaki has stopped. The assassin is leaning forward and she's resting her hands on her knees.  
“Saya?”

Saya breathes heavily, trying to control herself.  
“Sorry, I…I need another break.”

Isidro wipes some of the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm and looks at her skeptically.  
“Again? You asked for one just a few hours ago.”

After taking a few more breaths, she frowns and glances in his direction.  
“Hey…fuck you.”

He snorts and shakes his head.  
“Always a ray of sunshine, eh?”

Miljana approaches her girlfriend, and places a hand on her shoulder, while looking towards Isidro.  
“Go easy on her. Not everyone can get through this type of place untouched.”

“Did I say that? She just happens to slow us down, when we need to make more progress.”

Saya gathers enough strength to stand up and glares at him.  
“You know, I may be tired as the Mists, but that wouldn’t prevent me from knocking you out, asshole.”

He smirks back at her and crosses his arms, seeming rather unimpressed.  
“Oh yeah? Bring it on then.”

Devona appears next to Isidro and puts a hand on his shoulder as well.  
“Calm down, both of you. Fighting out here will do none of us any good. We should stick together and support each other.”

They both peer towards her, before glaring at one another again.  
“He started it”, Saya mumbles.

In response, Miljana moves a hand towards Saya’s opposite cheek and turns her so that they can face each other.  
“Then you shouldn’t be the one to pursue it. Listen to me or Dev instead.”

Saya rolls her eyes.  
“Fine.”  
When they appear to calm down, Miljana helps out by grabbing Saya’s bag and fishes out the water skin kept inside. Saya takes the opportunity to drink and sighs in relief when it washes down the dry path of her throat.  
“Gods…that felt good.  
How long do you think we have to go? Feels like we’ve been here forever…”

Miljana shrugs and then turns her gaze out over the sands again, narrowing them slightly as the light is reflected across the horizon.  
“I don’t know. It’s so hard to see very far out here.”

“Thought you were a pretty good tracker, babe.”

The insinuation makes Miljana display some annoyance, while Saya tries to smile innocently.  
“This isn’t the same thing. I’m used to tracking in the woods or the mountains. This is an entirely new experience for me. There’s so little go on around these parts, and it provides none of the landmarks I’m used to.”

Saya grabs another small portion of water, before she closes the container again.  
“Yeah, I know. Didn’t mean to criticize ya.  
Don’t worry, Jana, I’m sure you’ll be able to find where we need to go. I mean, who other than you would be able to?”

Miljana arches a brow, and shows an overly amused smile.  
“You’re not just saying that, so that I won’t try to puni-“

She doesn’t get much further than this, as something interrupts her, which gets both of their attentions. They sense something underneath them, and it’s not just movement, but vibrations. It appears not once, but twice in a matter of seconds.  
“What the…  
What was that?”

The ranger frowns and looks out over the sands, seeing in her peripheral vision that both Isidro and Dev also seems to have noticed it.  
“I have no idea, but that did not feel particularly comforting.”

The group waits, watching everything around them and wonders what it might be. Is this the heralding of an incoming herd of minotaurs that wants to crush them for what they did earlier, or something different happening?  
“You uh, you think they have earthquakes here?”, Saya inquiries.

Miljana frowns slightly.  
“I guess it’s possible, but-“  
She stops and then suddenly widens her eyes when she sees how the sands shift.  
“…shit! Move! It’s under-“

This is everything she manages to declare, before chaos erupts right under them. A humongous creature, with sand-colored scales and a thickness that is disturbingly wide, breaks apart the ground beneath them. Even though it doesn’t actively attack them with anything, the speed and strength behind its movements shoots into Miljana, Nakota and Saya, who all stand together, which is enough to send them all flying. They are thrown in opposite directions and both Dev and Isidro can only widen their eyes as they witness how their friends land hard on the ground, bouncing once before they lie still.

Dev looks at the proceedings in shock.  
“Jana! Saya! Nakota!”

Isidro lets his mouth hang open for a moment.  
“What just happened?!”

“I don’t know! We…we need to help them right now! C’mon!”

She raises her hand and unsheathes her hammer, but before she gets very far, Isidro grabs her shoulder and pulls her back.  
“Wait! Don’t you feel it? That thing is coming back for another round.”

Dev tries to do what he says and stops, pushing her feet a bit further into the ground and searches for something which will reveals what he’s talking about. It doesn’t take long for both of them to feel vibrations beneath the barren soil, giving them proof of that it is far from ready to leave.  
“Crap, get out of the way!”

She pushes him away, while she tries to jump in the opposite direction and shortly after, something even wider than its body erupts over the surface of the sands, only to disappear a couple of seconds later. What they saw, however, was certainly not something they’ve witnessed before. Whatever it is, it’s massive and moves through the sand as if it was water.  
Dev swallows hard and pushes herself up onto her feet again.

“Whatever that beast is, we need to stop it!”

Isidro raises one of his hands and reaches out, hoping that the elements will respond. Seconds after, the earth does indeed answer his call. However, it would not be possible for him to pinpoint this creature, as it digs around way too quickly.  
“Yeah, but how?”

“Can you shoot at it with your magic or something? Punch a hole in it?”

Swirling his hand around, he makes some of the sand rise and forms a thick spike out of it. Shortly after, he shrugs.  
“I don’t know for sure, but I suppose it's worth a try. How do we get it to attack?”

Dev glances around the vicinity, before she moves off and creates some distance between herself and Isidro. When given the chance, she begins to stomp the ground.  
“Hey, you scaly asshole, come and get me, if you dare!”  
She waits, hoping to get a reaction and does indeed sense that the vibrations are closing in. That’s when she turns her eyes towards Isidro.  
“Be ready, it’s coming!”

He nods, showing a look of determination in his eyes as he leans forward. He gets into a fighting stance and lines up the sand spike for the strike.  
Another few seconds passes by, and while Dev jumps away just in time to evade the attack from the underground creature, Isidro shoots his hand forward, which fires his spell. Unfortunately, the beast disappears a second too quickly, and the spike is destroyed on the ground.

“Goddammit! It’s too quick!”

“Don’t give up. We’ll just have to try again.”

Isidro exhales heavily, but then nods, knowing that they have no choice. If they persist, there will be success eventually, or so he hopes.  
However, what neither of them were ready for, is how the beast has decided not to make another big charge, but instead turns immediately in the direction of Isidro. Whatever this might be, it’s certainly smart enough to analyze which of them is the greater threat at this time.  
A massive head rises from the sand and launches straight towards Isidro, making him lift his arms up to protect himself, but it won’t be enough to stop something so large, filled with rows upon rows of fangs.

However, instead of getting to munch on Isidro, the creature is knocked aside by something arriving from the top of one of the nearby dunes. A heavy wind, so strong that it can budge this massive monster, shoves it away. Shortly after, a line of flying sand carves into its hide, like the edge of a sword, and the tall beast erupts in agony before escaping beneath the earth again.

The whole event takes no more than a few seconds, and when given the chance, the duo turns towards whatever the source of this attack.  
They see how a man practically jumps down from the dune, landing gracefully just a few meters away. When he rises, they notice that he stands in an outfit combining hardened leather with cloth, in dark grey colors, lined with yellow. He has a hood pulled up to cover him slightly, but it doesn’t prevent them from seeing the dark brown complexion, brown eyes and stern expression. In his hand, he carries a large and rather unusual weapon – a long black scythe, which Isidro is pretty sure that he can sense vibrations of power from.

For a moment, both Isidro and Dev are too shocked to say anything, but as he doesn’t speak, nor even look at them, the elementalist feels he must break the silence.  
“Uh, hello there. You…you came just in time. Thank you for-“

The man raises a finger, while still facing the sand rather than Isidro.  
“Be silent”, he says with an even and yet firm voice.  
“If you wish to defeat your foe, you must listen to me.”

The duo shares a brief look.  
“You know what it is we’re fighting?”, Dev asks him.

“Yes. They’re called sand wurms, the most dangerous of predators out in this desert.”

“You’ve fought them before?”

He inclines his head slightly.  
“And I know how to defeat them. You must see, but not with your eyes. Sense it through the ground, anticipate its movements as you would any other enemy.”

Isidro raises a hand and scratches his cheek. For now, the wurm appears to have given them some space, probably licking its wounds, but it’s possible that it will return soon.  
“Yeah, but how? This thing moves so quickly under us that it’s hard to tell what’s going on.”

The newcomer lowers himself to the ground, putting a hand against the sand and stares at it for several seconds. Eventually, he seems to reach a conclusion.  
“Follow my directions.”  
His eyes turn up towards Dev.  
“You there, warrior, back away approximately ten meters to the north, and stop by the rocks you see scattered there.”

Dev is unsure at first, but she grips her hammer tightly and does what he says. On the way, she casts her eyes out towards Miljana and Saya who, thankfully, have not been attacked so far. She’s still worried for them, but if she hopes to live and save them, she’ll have to do what’s said here.  
She does find what she hopes is the correct location.  
“Right here?”

He nods curtly and stands up.  
“That will be fine.”  
He shift his attention towards the other person nearby.  
“And you, spellcaster-“

“It’s Isidro, actually", he says.

The man halts for a moment, and his expression appears to soften, as if he just realized something.  
“Oh. Ahai, I am Amadi.”

“Nice to meet you, I guess.”

“We shall have to do more of that later. For now, you must assist me with your spells. You can control the elements, can you not?”

Isidro hesitates, not entirely certain if he trusts this guy.  
“Yeah, that’s right, but I’m not really keen on doing something without being informed of what will happen.”

Amadi walks a bit closer, making sure that the scythe is held in the opposite hand and turned away from them both.  
“I understand your trepidation, but I can only assure your survival if you follow my advice. We must work together.”

The elementalist doesn’t look pleased at all and he shakes his head slightly.  
“I don’t like this. I don’t even know who you are.”

“If you remain alive after this is done, you will.”

“Yeah, but-“

His words cease once they both sense vibrations beneath them again, and Amadi shifts his eyes in a specific location.  
“It appears you don’t have much of a choice.  
Can you form a spell to fire at the wurm?”

“Yeah, of course I can, but I already tried that and it didn’t work.”

Amadi walks a few meters to the right, moving rather quickly but also lightly, making very little noise and doesn’t put much weight into his steps.  
“I didn’t say you have to shoot it. This spell will not go be above the surface, but beneath it. Can you perform such a task?”

Isidro widens his eyes, and isn’t sure how to answer.  
“Uh, yeah, but…I won’t be able to direct it. It’ll be a blind shot.”

Amadi nods once more.  
“That’s fine – I shall be your eyes. Now, be ready.”

While neither of the duo feels particularly pleased with how he holds all the cards in this endeavor, and as he just arrived, they aren’t sure if they can trust him, but see no other choice.  
Keeping himself directed at the distant vibrations, he begins to move his arms and spins the scythe around in between his hands. It shifts in almost hypnotic patterns and it seems like he has full control of everything he does. They soon hear him speaking, not all too loudly, but enough to be heard.

“Oh gods of distant Mists, hear my plea. I offer my time and dedication, in hopes of a reward of wisdom. Whisper your words of perception and give me the gift of sight.”

Directly as the prayer is done, he stops, slamming the butt of the scythe into the ground. They feel and see how a sharp wind starts to form around his weapon, which grows fiercer and fiercer in a very short time. Eventually, he raises the scythe and slashes in front of him.  
An energy that is almost elemental in nature, shoots through the air, carving parts of the sands open, until it hits something underground. The wurm is knocked out of its path, as it seems to have been what the attack aimed to achieve, and after a short pained cry, it changes direction.

“Warrior, it’s coming for you! Be ready to hammer the ground right in front of you!”  
Dev grips her weapon even harder, breathing in and out for a second, before she holds it in. Waiting for his signal, he gives her a quick wave.  
“Now!”

She lets out a loud battle shout and slams her father’s hammer hard into the ground and, to her surprise, she does manage to hit something. It doesn’t last for long, as she has to actually evade when the wurm appears for a brief moment and attempts to flee once more.  
“Balthazar’s beard, I didn’t think that’d actually work!”, she exclaims.

“It is not yet over! Isidro, it’s time for your attack!”

Standing where he has been directed, Isidro nods and kneels down.  
“Yeah, just give the word and I’ll do what I can. Hope you know what you’re doing!”

Amadi ignores the brief bit of panic and narrows his eyes, waiting to see what the wurm will do, as it moves rather erratically for a while. However, like he assumed, it now moves in the opposite direction and heads towards the spellcaster.  
“Do it!”

Isidro concentrates and gather as much energy as possible. While they cannot see it, they can certainly feel how something shifts in the earth, making a small quake beneath them.  
This is the final hit which limits the sand wurm and it cannot take any more. Having enough, it breaks away from its hiding place and shoots itself above the ground. This exposes, to the horror of two people, the extreme length of this creature. It’s enormous, several meters tall, with the thickness of the body being wider than the average height of a human. They wonder, only briefly, how in the Mists they’re supposed to fight this thing. Fortunately, Amadi knows they’ve already done enough.

Jumping up into the air at the same time as the beast, Amadi has raised his scythe above him and before the wurm manages to properly get into position, he descends upon it, digging the tip of the scythe right into a weak spot on its head. The weapon goes far, very far, and while he has to drop the scythe and step away, all three of them see how the wurm can only struggle and scramble itself for a short time.

“It is over. The desert has defeated you. Give yourself to the sands.”  
The struggle continues for a short time, before the wurm finally lands on the ground, bleeding from several places other than its head and curls together slightly as it stops moving. Amadi motions for them to wait a short while longer, until he approaches it, pulls his weapon out and inclines his head towards them.  
“I’m impressed. You did well for people with such little knowledge of the desert. Grab your friends and follow me. I shall take you to a safer spot with more shade.”


	31. Answered prayer

There are few places out in the desert which protect against the searing heat of the sun and unless one knows where to look, or has a keen eyesight, they can be hard to locate. Coincidentally, it appears that the group has been rather lucky in bumping into the fighter who saved them, as he has exactly the type of knowledge they need.  
After a short journey, Amadi led them to a small formation of large boulders. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where they came from, how they ended up here and if they’re part of something much bigger. Either way, due to how they are tilted, there are certain shades created from the light above, which the group can take advantage of and get away from the immediate source.

Miljana, Nakota and Sayaki were all damaged somewhat during the fight and while it was nothing vital, it seemed pretty clear that all of them need rest.  
After Isidro and Devona have taken care of any wounds on their comrades, as well as found good temporary places for them to sleep on, the duo moves back towards the center of the little camp they’ve made and see their savior waiting there.

When they approach, he is sitting silently on the ground. His eyes are shut, and his fists are just as closed, but also connected to one another in some type of prayer. His weapon, the scythe, is currently resting over his crossed legs.  
It was pretty clear to them earlier that he prayed during the battle and they figure he must be particularly devoted to the gods. However, neither of them had previously seen the kind of power he utilized, which obviously make them curious.

Eventually, he opens his eyes and turns them towards the duo, with Isidro raising a hand somewhat hesitantly.  
“Uh, sorry about that. We didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Amadi shakes his head.  
“It is fine”, he answers with an even tone. His voice may be deep, but collected.  
“My prayers for the day are finished. What about your friends? Are they alright?”

Dev nods briefly and then finds a spot for herself on the ground.  
“Yeah, they’ll be okay, we think. And, well, we wanted to thank you for it, as none of us would’ve made it out of there, if it wasn’t for you.”

Isidro smiles as well as he takes his place in between the two, but looks mostly at Amadi.  
“Yes, thank you. You came just in time. We hadn't expected to meet anyone out here, much less someone with such wide understanding of this desert.”

In return, Amadi merely inclines his head slightly.  
“It was not within my plans to be there at such an opportune time, but I am certainly glad that I could interfere. It has always been my duty to help those in need.  
However, your own presence is quite surprising to me as well. It seems clear to me that neither of you are particularly well-versed in the contents of the desert. What has brought you out here?”

Isidro and Dev share a brief look, trying to assess the general opinion of one another, before they decide that they’re probably on the same page.  
“We’re on…a journey”, Dev starts.

“A journey? A long one?”

“Sort of, yeah.”

“You aim to go through the desert? That would be rather foolish, for newcomers.”

Isidro shakes his head.  
“No, that’s not our intention. Uh, at least we hope not. I’ve heard that this place goes on for miles and we’d probably be dead long before we reach the end.”

Amadi watches him intently, but also gives Dev a brief glance.  
“You do not wish to get to Elona, but you’re still on a long journey through the desert? I suppose you must be looking for something specific then.”

Dev clears her throat, turning her gaze to the ground and seems a bit awkward.  
“Erm, yeah, kind of. It’s a little bit…difficult to speak about it, though. You might think we’re foolish.”

He tilts his head curiously, and then shrugs.  
“Perhaps, but I am more interested than anything else.”

She takes a deep breath, figuring that it won’t do them any harm to at least talk about it. Maybe he’ll even have some information that they might be able to use.  
“Okay then. The reason we’re out here in the middle of nowhere, is because we’re searching for Augury Rock. We want to perform the Trials of Ascension.”

Neither of them can see it very well, because Amadi appears to keep his expression rather static and stern, but his eyes do widen slightly, enough for them to notice what is likely a feeling of surprise.  
“That’s quite an admirable goal, although a dangerous one at the same time.”

Isidro raises his brow inquisitively.  
“Wait, you know of the trials as well?”

“Of course. In my homeland, Elona, the Trials of Ascension are legendary. They have been spoken of for ages, and countless generations have shown interest in accepting the challenge of passing them, even though it’s very dangerous.”

Dev leans forward a bit, resting her arms on her legs.  
“Is that why you are out here as well then?”

He shakes his head to dismiss this notion.  
“No, I-“  
He halts for a moment and considers some unknown aspect.  
“Well, I suppose completely rejecting it would not be entirely truthful either. Part of my reason for being here is these trials, but mostly, my goal is focused around the general vicinity of the trials, rather than trying to complete them."

Isidro looks confused at first, as he tries to analyze what they’re told.  
“Uh, okay. So…you want to know about them?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes. I seek answers that many have pursued, but never obtained."

“What kind of answers?”

He diverts his eyes to the ground and moves one of his hands above the sands.  
“Centuries ago, the provinces of Elona were united under a single ruler and banner, that of the Warmarshal Turai Ossa, who became a hero of the people.  
Instead of ruling them until his death, Turai sought other goals and accomplishments. He knew of the Trials of Ascension, as many of us did, and believed he might be the one who was destined to complete the Flameseeker Prophecies.  
While handing the position of ruler to his son, he led many of our people on a pilgrimage into the Crystal Desert, promising that he would come back as an Ascendant.”  
Amadi narrows his eyes for a moment, before he emits a short sigh.  
“Unfortunately, nothing like that ever happened, as far as we know, for he was never heard from again.”

Dev and Isidro both look interested, as well as confused.  
“He just…disappeared?”, Dev asks.

“Yes, and no one has, so far, been able to find out what befell him. Did he die out here, lost in among the sands? Was he lured away by something else? Or was perhaps Ascension not quite what the stories had told us?”  
He shakes his head.  
“His absence left many questions, ones that no one has been able to answer. This is why I have come here.”

Isidro nods slowly.  
“Quite a worthy goal as well, I have to say. Have you been wandering around these parts for long?”

“No, I haven’t. I sailed along the waters to the south and entered through some of the settlements down there. A few still exist, even if they are small.  
So far, I have made slow progress, which I am quite pleased with.”  
He turns to look at them, resolve in his eyes.  
“I believe I know where this Augury Rock is.”

And it appears he’s able to go even further to give them clues and hope for the future, something they couldn’t have anticipated.  
“You do?”, Dev asks. “How can you be sure?”

“I spoke with some of the locals in the villages I stopped by and they told me of some old settlements they knew, even if they assumed all of those are abandoned.  
My plan was to reach some of them in order to find the answers I seek, but perhaps I will not have to do this alone anymore.  
If you truly seek Ascension, may I join you in this endeavor?”

Isidro smiles, seeming more than glad at the thought of this prospect.  
“You’d want to do this? Just like that?”

“Our goals appear to be similar, and you do seem like good people. I find it a reasonable conclusion and I certainly wouldn’t mind some company. The desert can get fairly lonely, which increases the risks.”

Dev sighs heavily.  
“Yeah, you’re right about that. We were five and we’ve had more trouble around these parts than we ever had in the mountains or jungles of Kryta.  
I doubt neither Saya nor Jana would want us to turn down a guide in this place, so you’re more than welcome to join us.”

Amadi bows his head in gratitude.  
“I appreciate the gesture, and I promise I shall do my very best to help you. Together, it seems very likely that we can conquer the difficulties of this region, and perhaps the gods will look favorably on such determination.”


	32. Tempting storm

The journey towards Augury Rock has begun. Miljana, Sayaki and Nakota needed only about a day’s rest to recuperate themselves, at least when it comes to a serviceable condition. Some questions were sent in Amadi’s direction, but his willingness to help them - along with his purpose - were reasonable enough that neither of the women saw any need to reject what had already been decided.  
After two more days, they seem to be closing in on their destination, and even in this rather lonely landscape, they do stumble into certain areas which gives them a different view. Miljana has used some of the rocks, nests and smaller valleys to educate herself in what landmarks to look for in the future, when their expedition undoubtedly continues.

As they make camp again in the evening, Isidro is the only one who notices how Amadi wanders off on his own for a while, out of view from the rest. While the ladies prepare dinner, he stands up and heads after their guide, mostly to make sure that he’s okay, but also out of curiosity.  
Isidro had expected to stumble into some kind of prayer or ritual, as it seems like the other man has some kind of routines which he must follow. Whether it’s out faith or personal wishes, it’s hard to tell.

However, what he sees isn’t either of the things he expected, as Amadi appears to be engaged in an activity which could be seen as exercising instead. He’s moving in calculated and swift manners, swinging his scythe around in different poses and bending his body to adapt to invisible or imagined strikes. It is true that this man appears to be quite adept at fighting, and Isidro did assume that he needed to train himself quite thoroughly to reach such a level, but the elementalist hadn’t anticipated that he’d get to see it happening live.

The sight itself isn’t just fascinating, but rather appealing as well. Amadi has taken off parts of his clothes, only keeping a sleeveless shirt and the leather skirt on, which reaches down to the lower portion of his legs. Isidro gets to witness the lack of hair on his head and the glistering sweat running down over his fairly well-trained arms. He’s not quite as large Devona, perhaps, but Isidro finds it attractive nonetheless.  
In many ways, he’s like a deadly wind, unpredictable and graceful all at the same time. The confidence he displays is both undeniable and tempting.

At one point, Amadi stops and holds his scythe before him, while closing his eyes. Isidro wonders if another stage is about to begin, but that’s when the other man speaks up.  
“You are free to come out.”

Isidro is taken aback at first, twitching in surprise and stands still by the rock he’s practically hiding behind. He hadn’t expected to actually be noticed, as he’s sure he was very silent. He ponders if Amadi addressed him and not someone else, but there’s no doubt once the brown eyes are turned towards him.  
“Uh, I…”

“I was talking to you.”

Clearing his throat, Isidro steps away from the rock and gradually walks forward. He raises a hand and scratches the back of his head awkwardly, eyes diverted to the ground.  
“I…wasn’t hiding or anything, just didn’t want to intrude. That’s why I stayed at a distance.”

Amadi nods knowingly and gestures with his hand.  
“It's alright, you are not a nuisance. If you wish to sit here, that is fine.”

Calming himself a bit and hoping to remain collected, Isidro closes the distance between them, while his eyes travels up and down.  
“Your moves are impressive, by the way. Very precise and swift. I can see why that sand wurm didn’t stand a chance.”

Amadi is now walking around a bit, slowly twirling his scythe in his hand. The edge is very sharp and a single cut could injure him severely, but he doesn’t seem worried in the slightest.  
“Thank you, but they are sharp because I must be able to fight at peak efficiency.”

While still keeping a little bit of space in the middle, Isidro folds his arms and continues to let his gaze follow Amadi.  
“Oh? How so?”

“In my homeland, I am a member of the Order of the Sunspears. We are an autonomous group which protects Elona from all kinds of threats, no matter where they appear. We do not discriminate and we don’t follow the orders of any of the province governments, merely their pleas for aid.”

A name which Isidro has never heard before, but that isn’t particularly shocking. He knows virtually nothing about Elona.  
“So, you’re…mercenaries?”

Amadi shakes his head.  
“No. We do not take gold from anyone to do their bidding. We receive a certain amount of funding from various communities, and confiscate some from criminals, but we are far more reasonable than simple mercenaries, and we do not work for anyone. Our only purpose is to defend Elona’s citizens, no matter what rank, status or location they live in.”

That brings a small smile to Isidro’s lips.  
“Sounds pretty admirable. You must be well-liked.”

“For the most part, yes. We have done much good for Elona for a very long time, even before Turai Ossa, and people have always respected us for it.”

“I see. Well then, is that why you’re out here in the desert? You expect to find some kind of threat against Elona?”

Amadi stops where he is and turns momentarily hesitant. Slowly, he looks away and a scowl forms on his brow.  
“…partially.”

Isidro waits a few seconds, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to get anything else.  
“Okay uh, are you alone out here then? No other Sunspears?”

“Yes, I am alone.”

“Huh. That doesn’t sound like the brightest plan, if they really believe there’s a threat in a dangerous area like this. They couldn’t have sent some backup with you?”

Amadi hesitates some more, before he slowly shakes his head.  
“I did not ask for any.”

Isidro arches a brow, feeling rather confused.  
“Really? You just…wandered off alone?”

“Yes.”

“Erm…that sounds pretty dangerous. Did they even know that you left? Does your family know?”

Once more, he remains silent for a little while, uncertain how to respond. Shortly after that, he starts walking again, moving the scythe around in similar patterns as before.  
“That is not an issue”, he explains plainly.  
“I have no other family than the Order.”

“None? Why not?”

“My parents were killed by corsairs when I was very young and I never had any siblings.”

Isidro widens his eyes at the prospect, leaving his mouth hanging open for a moment, before he sighs heavily.  
“Shit, uh…sorry. You have my condolences for your loss.”

Amadi shakes his head briefly, not looking particularly bothered. At least not on the outside.  
“It’s alright. I have long since gone past the emotional ramifications. Like I said, I was very young at the time, and it has been many years now.”

“Yeah, I guess but…I dunno, it’s never easy to lose family.”

Amadi gives him a brief glance, which has a questioning nature to it, but he displays a simple shrug afterwards.  
“I had others, such as Hiwot.”

“Who’s that?”

“My adoptive mother. She found me when I was still young and wandered aimlessly. I had spent a few years on the streets and were not doing well. She took pity upon me and brought me into her home.  
While she cared for me, she asked for something in return – that I would follow her path of faith and combat. She made me into both her son and her student.”

Not what Isidro would say is an entirely selfless act, as it seems Amadi had to work for the deed, but he doesn’t sound unhappy.  
“She taught you how to fight? Does that include all the weird magic and stuff too?”

Amadi nods curtly.  
“It does, although what I use is not something you would strictly call ‘magic’, unless viewed through the eyes of the untrained.  
In Elona, we call ourselves ‘dervish’, and we are connected to the realms of the gods.”

“Dervish? Hmm, don’t think I’ve ever heard that word before.”

“I am not surprised, as our discipline hardly spreads outside of our homeland.  
We mix martial prowess with deep faith and prayers. Even if it is not magic, in the way that you may use it, such things can still carry much power on their own.”

Isidro snorts amusedly and inclines his head.  
“Yeah, not disputing that. I saw what you did when we fought the wurm. That’s why I assumed it was magic.”

“Again, not surprised, for the might of the gods are as magic to us simple mortals.”  
For a moment, he shuts his eyes, takes a deep breath and places a closed fist over his chest.  
“Imbued strength of the gods can move the earth”, he says and then stomps the ground. Almost immediately, Isidro gasps as he feels a vibration through the earth.  
“At the same time, their whispers can be heard through the wind and lend their guidance from long distances.”  
While he says this, he slowly sweeps the same hand in front of him, and Isidro senses how a gentle breeze brushes past his cheek.

Not being able to stop himself from smiling, Isidro shakes his head lightly.  
“That is…quite incredible”, he remarks, with a bit of awe in his voice.  
“You’re certainly proficient at what you do as well.”

Amadi opens his eyes, staring into the grey ones of the other man for a little longer than expected and nods.  
“Thank you. Your praise is appreciated. I do much to hone my skills.”

Isidro is brought to silence for a while by the sight, long enough for him to get conscious about it.  
“I…don’t doubt it.”

Shortly after, Amadi turns from the gentle twirling to wide swings of his weapon once more. The slashes can be heard making short and sharp whistling noises, as if each one manages to be deadly enough to cut through the wind.  
However, while it’s a remarkable thing to watch, Isidro feels a little bit awkward about staring and diverts his gaze elsewhere.

“Uh”, he starts and clears his throat, “perhaps I should leave you alone. I wouldn’t want to get in your way or anything.”

In the middle of a strike, Amadi suddenly stops and looks directly at him.  
“Not at all. You are more than free to stay.”

“But…are you sure? I can’t do much to help you, only watch.”

Amadi lets his eyes linger for a little bit, and then inclines his head approvingly.  
“I know, but I do not mind an audience.”

Their gazes are locked for a short time longer, before Amadi begins once more and Isidro smiles to himself. Despite not knowing quite how to interpret it, he decides that it might be worth the effort to try.  
“Well then, guess I’ll stick around for a while”, he says, as he sits down on the ground and gets comfortable in order to enjoy the show.


	33. Never to be undone

The Trials of Ascension have brought down a lot of people, from lone individuals, to full cultures, and the search for the favor of the gods has always been something which brings humans a sense of purpose and conviction. It’s a goal that can be attained in a variety of ways, but the ultimate truth behind it is always difficult to determine.  
However, as the days have gone by, perhaps even a few weeks – it’s hard for the group to know for sure – one team has taken itself through one impossible test after another.

The Forgotten, the serpentine people which were mentioned to the group early on during their journey in the desert, seemed to still roam in this area just as they were told, and oversaw many of the challenges they had to go through. They didn’t speak much, merely waited and reacted, like silent and rather distant entities, almost beyond the comprehension of humans. Several aspects other than mere strength and power were tested, including tactical thinking, sharp wit and fierce determination. They defeated each one and progressed further and further towards the truth of what Ascension must be.

As the last of the base trials has been conquered, they find themselves on the outskirts of old ruins from the Elonians who once travelled here, as they now try to locate directions to their next destination. They seemed to have conquered the trials, but does that equate appeasing the gods?  
In amidst the confusion where they’ve currently camped, they all see and hear how something erupts, as if a sandstorm closes in on them, which obviously worries the entire group. They prepare themselves for the worst.

However, instead of anything they could’ve suspected, they see a form appearing above some of the rocks nearby and recognize the transparent figure of the ghostly hero they met outside the first settlement they visited.  
He looks down at them and then spreads his arms, keeping his expression and tone even for now.  
“And so, your last trial has been conquered, bringing you yet another step closer to Ascension. I am impressed.”

Even though they had expected it, most of them now breathe out in relief, showing some of the exhaustion they already feel by having gone through some of the toughest events in their lives during this trip across the desert.  
Miljana stands up and looks at him curiously.  
“You were the guide we met outside the Amnoon Oasis. We…have encountered others of your people in the desert since then.”

He nods briefly.  
“That you have and the rumors of your progress has spread among them. Many are fairly excited by your continued success.”

Saya sighs heavily and leans back against another rock nearby.  
“Well, that’s good, I guess. Wish they hadn’t tried to push us so hard, though. It’s goddamn exhausting, especially with this constant heat…”

The ghost nods in understanding.  
“I can imagine that it must be, especially for outsiders such as yourselves. It makes me all the more thankful that you have never faltered in your resolve.  
Due to your success, my people and I might finally be freed from this old curse, an event we have yearned for.”

Miljana momentarily looks towards Amadi, who is sitting silently, but there’s also a certain edge of curiosity to his eyes. She decides that it may be best to ask for the truth.  
“Spirit, you have watched us and silently guided us on our journey here, but we know very little about you. We have been told…stories of the people who came here so long ago, and it has made us very interested in your identity. Perhaps you can help confirm it for us?”

He looks at her with a similar interest, raising a hand up to his cheeks and strokes a few fingers through his beard. After a moment, he bows his head in acknowledgement.  
“Very well. I suppose you have earned that much, after all this time.  
Once, generations ago when I still held a form of flesh and blood, I was known as Turai Ossa – Warmarshal of Kourna, ruler of Elona and victor in the war against Palawa Joko. I left such titles behind to lead my people into their doomed fate here in the Crystal Desert.”  
He takes a deep breath and shakes his head sadly.  
“If I had known what would await us, I would have chosen a different path for the others.”

Amadi’s eyes are now widened, and the determination within has increased by several degrees.  
He stands up, moves next to Miljana and looks up at the ghost.  
“Turai Ossa, I am Amadi, formerly of the Sunspears, and born in the province of Istan. Your legend still flourishes in our land and I came here in search of you. I…did not believe I would get to actually meet you.”

Turai seems intrigued by his statement, but also grows somewhat distant for a moment.  
“Ah, the Sunspears…brave men and women, heroes unlike any I had met before. If you are, or were, one of them, then you have my respect, young Amadi. It also brings me joy that one of my people now stands among possible candidates for the Ascendants, as it should be.”

Despite it all, Amadi does still bow his head in thanks, not being able to ignore it.  
“Stories of you have been told ever since the day you first disappeared. However, very few know the truth of what actually happened. If you can tell us, I would like to hear it.”

The question seems to make Turai uncertain and his eyes are diverted downwards.  
“I can certainly try, but I’m afraid there is little joy in what we went through.  
The journey into the desert is the greatest shame from my old life. After the defeat of Palawa Joko, I believed, in my hubris, that I was meant for greater things than being a simple King. I had heard of what awaited elsewhere and believed myself to be one of the Chosen. The Flameseeker Prophecies was a very appealing prospect to me, and I thought I was destined to finish them and Ascend. After all, why would I not be? Nothing could stand between me and victory.”  
He shuts his gaze and folds his arms.  
“Unfortunately, I failed, miserably.”

The rest of the group have heard similar tales from Amadi, but nothing else.  
“How come? If you could defeat Joko, why not the desert?”, Miljana inquires.

“Because I underestimated its contents. When we encountered the Forgotten, I saw them not as a potential for gaining wisdom and success, but as opponents. While we were trying to build and establish a community out here, to impress the Five, I led my people into a war against these serpentine creatures, thinking that it would surely be the way to victory.  
I was used to war, comfortable with it and ultimately, blinded by it. It brought nothing but misery and ruin to my people.”

“That…must’ve been horrible. They all died in the war?”

Turai shakes his head slowly.  
“Not entirely. Many fell due to starvation, thirst or sickness – none of which we were properly prepared to deal with out here. We-… _I_ underestimated the hardships in this region.  
One by one, they all perished and eventually, their spirits became trapped in this land, just as I and many others were. Now, we linger and await the only thing which can set us free – for people to Ascend and help bring back the favor of the gods.”

Miljana tilts her head slightly.  
“That will free you?”

“Yes. Even if you don’t aim to do so, the gods’ presences spread quite widely over anything they touch, and it will affect all of us. We shall finally be granted our places in the Mists.”

Most of the group looks satisfied to hear it, but Amadi clenches his fists and takes another step forward.  
“Before we go anywhere, I have questions that I must have answers for. It is a matter of…”, he hesitates momentarily, “honor and pride.”

Turai hadn’t quite been ready to hear it and most of the team looks at him with interest as well.  
“Oh? Very well then, ask what you will and I shall see what I can do.”

“Do you know of the Hukanda family? They went with you on your journey here and I am interested in their fate.”

Some of the others seem a bit unsure, while Isidro looks at him quite intently, trying to think back on the things that Amadi has told him. He can’t remember ever hearing that name.  
Turai, however, doesn’t even need to consider it for long.  
“Ah, yes, of course I know them. They were some of my most ardent followers and served me well during all my time in the desert. If I were to dedicate a monument to my closest and most respected supporters, they would definitely have their place.”

“And…what happened to them? Did they survive in any way? I hear there were several of them who came out here with you. They can’t all have fallen, can they?”

Turai watches him with sorrow filling his eyes, shaking his head briefly.  
“I am sorry, young dervish, but I do not have any satisfying news for you. Just like so many others out here, sadly, they met their demise in different ways. And, just like the rest of us, their spirits linger somewhere out in the desert, wandering aimlessly.”

Amadi stares at him for several seconds, remaining silent. Eventually, his shoulders slump together with his eyes, who turn to face the ground. There appears to be a gloom surrounding him that came out of nowhere and the sight grips at Isidro’s heart.  
“I…I see. Thank you for telling me”, he says, practically whispering.

Questions linger among the others, but as Amadi does not seem like he would be ready to get into any of them now, they turn their attention back to Turai. Miljana clears her throat, before she proceeds.  
“So, uh, what is required of us now? Where must we go to finish the trials?”

Turai tries to remove some of the sadness that hit him, and a solemn expression returns.  
“There is but one path left for you to take, in order to fulfill your destiny. You must return to Augury Rock once more, where you will now have access to the Hall of Ascension. Each of your trials have opened the seals upon it and it should now be fully unlocked.”

“Just like that? No items or anything that we need to bring?”

“Certainly not – your spirits should be enough. You have the attention of the gods now, as the Chosen you are, and this will grant you access to places that none other can enter. If you succeed, you will be granted an audience with the prophet herself.”

After having spent so much time out here, they had almost forgotten their conversation with him and what he had said.  
“You mentioned her before, or rather the fact that the prophet still lives. But, we don’t get how it’s possible. How can anyone stay alive for that long, other than a deity?”

Turai snorts somewhat amusedly.  
“I think you misunderstand the nature of the prophet. Age is below creatures such as the dragons.”

Eyes widen and hearts flutter as he speaks the word, one which is held in high esteem as legend to most.  
“D-dragons?”, Saya asks. “You’re telling us that the prophet is a freaking dragon?!”

“Indeed, she is. Glint, the prophet, rests in her lair, hidden away in the desert. Only the Ascendants shall be allowed to meet with her, and to find the entrance, you must go through the Hall of Ascension.  
This is where fate shall lead you and on your journey, the rest of us shall be watching. Your success or failure will determine our existence as well. Our hopes rests with you, brave souls.”


	34. Symptoms of the past

The journey back towards Augury Rock feels somewhat lighter now that they know how the end of this long and surprising journey may be within reach. That’s not to say that they can really lower their guards, of course, but they are not swimming around in the unknowable anymore, other than a sense of trepidation for the last step that awaits them.

When the group has travelled for another day and found a place to rest, Amadi leaves the others for a time, hoping to get some solitude once more. While Isidro knows and understands this, there are some issues that arose during the conversation with the ghost of Turai Ossa, which has him worried. This is why he pursues the dervish, hoping that he will be able to see or determine if there is anything that can be done to help.

When Isidro finds him, Amadi isn’t sitting in his usual meditative pose, but instead leans forward, arms resting in his lap, with an air around him that displays a deep sense of loss and confusion. Maybe he prefers to have no company, or that Isidro should simply stay at a distance, but he can’t bring himself to abandon Amadi like this. It worked last time and perhaps it can do so again.

“Hey, hope I’m not…uh, disturbing you or anything."

Amadi diverts his attention slightly towards the elementalist, actually displaying some mild surprise. So, he wasn’t quite as attentive this time.  
“Oh, hello. I…suppose not.”

Not an entirely welcoming display, but Isidro hopes there won’t be any need to leave all too quickly.  
“Figured you might want someone to talk to. How are you doing?”

After watching him for a few moments, Amadi soon turns his gaze back down to the ground.  
“Not very well, I will admit.”

After a brief sigh, Isidro moves closer and takes a seat on another nearby rock, giving him at least a little bit of space.  
“It must be rough, not getting to hear what might've hope for, after having wandered this long.  
I…I wish I understood exactly what was going on a bit earlier. Perhaps I could’ve helped in some way.”

Amadi shakes his head.  
“I doubt it would have changed anything, but I apologize for not mentioning this topic sooner. It wasn’t quite as easy for me, however. It is a fairly personal matter.”

Isidro watches him carefully, hoping to not find any signs that tell him to stop right here. Amadi is difficult to read, so he can’t know for sure what hints to search for. Regardless, might as well go for it, right?  
“Well, I hope you don’t mind me inquiring, but could you tell me more about the family you referenced to Turai? Unless it’s all too sensitive, I mean.”

His eyes drifts towards Isidro, staring at him for several moments, perhaps to evaluate the other man. Whether he comes away satisfied or not is uncertain, but he does give Isidro a nod.  
“I suppose I can, if you really want to hear it.”

“Of course! Wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

Amadi turns his eyes towards his scythe, stroking a hand over its hilt, while his gaze makes him appear to mentally be miles away.  
“The Hukanda family were my ancestors, from a few centuries ago. They were a strong and proud clan, albeit not exactly one of the most prominent in Elona.  
During the war against Palawa Joko and afterwards, most of my ancestors were the ones who truly believed in Turai Ossa and his destiny. In fact, it went so far that the Hukanda created several enemies along the way to become some of Turai’s most respected advisors and soldiers, but most of them didn’t really seem to care.”

“Wow. It was that competitive to gain a spot at his side?”

“Not exactly, but my family had certain disputes with others beforehand and some of them could certainly be…vocal. Some of the resentment grew during the conflict regarding Turai’s legitimacy.”  
He shakes his head, not seeming quite as approving of his ancestor’s actions.  
“Regardless, when Turai confessed that he would be journeying into the Crystal Desert, most of my family were some of the swiftest to rise and give their support, saying they would be accompanying him.  
Whether this was out of loyalty, a power grab or something else, it is hard to say.”

Isidro tilts his head curiously.  
“I see. You said ‘most’. Not all of them, then?”

“No, not everyone fully agreed with what most of the family wanted, and therefore, when the Hukanda as a group left, some of them remained in Elona. These are who you might call my ‘direct ancestors’.  
Unfortunately, they are also the ones who took the brunt of the insults that were hurled later on.”

Isidro arches his brow.  
“Insults? What? From who?”

“From the rivals I mentioned. You see, the animosity grew quite substantially among several other clans who didn’t really believe in Turai’s success. When those who travelled into the desert didn’t return and were never heard from again, the assumption of their failure was made.  
Rumors about the journey, whose fault it would’ve been and the possible outcome, grew over the years and when it was eventually accepted as a reality, a lot my ancestors who chose to remain lost everything they had.”

Crossing his arms, Isidro leans back a bit further and considers how strange he feels that Elonian politics must be, in comparison to Krytan. Then again, some might say the same about how they’ve had it in the west, especially with the White Mantle's unjustified actions.  
“How come? Did people lose faith in them or was it just a general thing that happened to all families who left with Turai?”

Amadi sighs briefly, having to think back on all the stories he heard of the past.  
“It was a combination of events, I suppose. The trust in the Hukanda was certainly one aspect, but yes, Turai’s failure was definitely another. Then there was also the fact that no one could truly hold Elona together after he departed, which splintered us further.  
In the end, we were left with nothing to really show for ourselves. Nowadays, the name of Hukanda is only ever associated with failures of the past, especially in Kourna, and the name is thoroughly unappreciated. It went so far that some of them, a few generations ago, discarded the name completely and continued their lives without it. That is why many don’t directly think of me as a Hukanda.”

“Really? Then…how do you know?”

Amadi fidgets a bit with his weapon, looking somewhat awkward regarding this subject, but Isidro does not seem to be one to judge and obviously, he is not from Elona, nor does he carry any of the difficulties of the past.  
“Because it has been told over the generations, as a secret and a sort of…family shame, I suppose. We never forget who we once were, so that we won’t remake the same mistake.”

As silence lingers between them for a while, Isidro analyzes the situation, and now sees why this would be such a difficult thing to handle, and why he wouldn’t want to speak of it. Matters of honor have always had a complexity to them.  
“You…mentioned how your parents died when we spoke a while back. Are you the last Hukanda, then?”

Amadi shakes his head again.  
“No, I am not. While we aren’t very unified anymore, there are certainly others out there.  
However, after all this time, no one had stepped forth to do anything about our history. No one seemed ready to make the attempt and rectify what had been done to our reputation and honor. I was tired of seeing what was being taught about us and wanted to change it, once and for all.”

“So, that’s why you came here alone.”

He inclines his head, before he proceeds.  
“As it was never truly proven, I had hoped to find a different truth, something that would lead me to a type of acknowledgment which would regain faith in us. I had hoped that everyone else would be wrong. How could I not have believed that? It was my own sense of pride which drove me.”

“And…what, you believed that they might’ve Ascended?”

Amadi hesitates for a moment, running a few fingers through the sands.  
“No, nothing so drastic. I will admit that this would have been a very nice thing to hear, but even my doubts were too great to ever believe it. However, I hoped that they would’ve met another fate.  
They could have gone through a better route than all of them dying in Turai’s name, or at the very least found a way out of here and built something for themselves. Even a monument to their glory would’ve been preferable.”  
He looks up, faces the horizon and gestures at the desert.  
“And instead, it was all for naught. Nothing remains but the sands and the Hukanda family will continue to be known as a failure.”

Obviously, this is a delicate situation and Isidro doesn’t want to do or say the wrong thing, but staying silent isn’t a great option either. He raises a hand to scratch the scar on his cheek, while he considers his actions.  
“Well uh, you could perhaps…tell them something different occurred? You know, since no one has any proof either way.”

Amadi turns a slight frown at him.  
“And lie? No, I will not do that. It would bring me all too much shame, as I would know the truth. I want to purify our name, not taint it even further.”

Isidro hesitates and raises his hands defensively.  
“Sorry, I…didn’t mean to imply that you were uh…untruthful or whatever. I mean, obviously, this means a lot to you and I, uh…I-“  
He taps his fingers across his own thigh for a moment, before he exhales heavily and shakes his head.  
“Shit, I dunno. Forget I said anything about that.  
But perhaps there are other ways we could help make the situation better for your family. I wouldn’t mind helping out.”

Amadi watches him momentarily, any strained emotions dispersing and he raises a hand to dismiss this notion.  
“I appreciate the concern, but I will handle it on my own for now.  
If you don’t mind, I would prefer a bit of…solitude, at least for today.”

Isidro sees Amadi’s expression, realizing that he may have had some kind of positive effect, and he decides to get back on his feet. Perhaps another day.  
“Alright, I understand. If you…need anything - and I mean anything - I’ll be nearby.”

“I know. Thank you, Isidro.”


	35. Warmth of the gods

The team returns to the small and almost abandoned outpost of Augury Rock, inhabited by nothing else than the spirits of the Elonians who once tried to reach the same status as this small group now almost has within its grasp.  
As they wander through the place, many more spirits have gathered to watch them go, while kneeling or bowing in some way, to show their respect and grant the group all the hope and good luck that they possibly can.

On their last visit, the team was shown three specific runes that would correlate with the separate trials that they had to complete and upon arrival, it is now possible to see how, one after another, the runes begin to burn.  
As the last one flares up, a light blinds their eyes and surrounds them. When they are uncovered just a few seconds later, the group finds itself in front of a mesa, further away from where they were previously, with a small pond of water not too far from where they’re standing. They haven’t seen this area before, but they don’t really have much time to consider it.

Their attention is immediately turned towards the huge chunk of rock ahead of them, which seems to have similar runes upon its surface, and just like the small ones on the sands earlier, these ones begin to shine brightly, while the skies above darken. The group isn’t sure what will happen, and they almost prepare to take cover, with Sayaki clearing her throat as she moves a bit closer to Miljana.  
Suddenly and out of nowhere, lightning strikes from above, hitting the runes one at a time and with each impact, parts of the mesa are shattered, cracking open the wall to reveal something beyond.

As the rocks pour down into the waters below to conveniently form a bridge, the smoke eventually disperses, revealing a set of stairs leading into a crystalline structure within, lined with golden frames. The heroes look at each other, to see how each one of them are feeling. While there’s obviously trepidation and uncertainty, they find a united cause in each other, which makes them ignore the fear and continue onwards, to what they’ve been hunting during this entire journey.

The interior of the building they enter is difficult for them to imagine, as none of them believe they’ve ever seen anything like it before. Creations of gold, silver, crystal and all sorts of gemstones are sprawled out before them. The initial corridor is lined with statues of the Five Gods, but not just the appearances one might expect in Elona, but various depictions from Kryta, Orr, Ascalon and Cantha as well.  
Even further inside, once they enter a large, tall and circular room, they are exposed to paintings, images, and glass creations, displaying more ways that people have chosen to see the deities during the generations.

Except for the craftsmanship, there are two things which gets their attention – the large, burning braziers with white flames and the floor, which appears to be transparent and reaches down through a crystalline tunnel, almost endlessly. The roof has a similarly shocking appearance. To the group, the entire design has an otherworldly feeling, and they now see why it would be given the name, Hall of Ascension.

Devona, Isidro and Sayaki mostly looks around in astonishment, with Nakota just sitting down, not seeming all too impressed, but being on edge as well. Miljana feels a similar emotion and has her bow in her hand, somewhat clenched.  
Amadi appears to be the one most overwhelmed, as he immediately goes down on one knee, holding the scythe in his arm and bows his head respectfully towards the center. They only hear how mumbles, probably making a prayer of some kind.

Before any of them manages to react much, they are all somewhat startled by something that comes echoing through the room – a slow and gentle voice, with an underlying sense of wisdom.  
“Congratulations, Chosen, for being able to take your journey this far and succeed through each of the trials at hand.”

They are all brought to silence for a few seconds, even as the voice seems to pause. Saya, who doesn’t usually care as much about the Five, has clearly changed her tone here.  
“Was that...one of the…?”

She doesn’t say much more and none of them answers, nor do they have time to, as the voice continues.  
“Thus far, you have faced tests of resolve, strength and ingenuity, and as expected, you have conquered each and every one. A most impressive feat.  
Unfortunately, it is not yet over, as one final challenge remains.”

All of them feel how their bodies tense up, and Miljana takes a step back, as the flames from the braziers burns even brighter. Lights suddenly jumps out from the top of the fire and spirals up into the sky, moving around themselves. Slowly, their territory expands, and the lights fly across the entire area of the Hall, especially towards the group. None of them have enough time to do anything other than gasp, as they, including Nakota, are pierced by things that they cannot feel in any way.

When their eyes open again, Saya and Isidro immediately begins to feel their own bodies for any possible wounds or damage the lights may have caused, but there is nothing. Miljana is the first one to notice where the lights ended up, pointing towards the transparent floor and they notice how figures are beginning to form from each one.  
Eventually, the lights return and when they do, they take shape into something very familiar.

“Yourselves”, the echoing voice remarks, and the team are all shocked to see vaguely shadowy versions of their own bodies. Except for being somewhat transparent and having white fire instead of irises in their eyes, these doppelgangers are practically perfect copies of each of them. It is not just their bodies and appearances, but even their armors and weapons that have been replicated and the mirror group takes similar stances as the real one.

The doppelgangers do not wait for long, as they grab ahold of their weapons and advance on the real versions, rushing straight into battle. Lightning flies through the air, along with carved pieces of earth, launched from Isidro and Amadi’s copies, and interestingly enough, aimed directly at their originals.  
Dev hesitates when she faces her own copy and while she ducks beneath the hammer at first, which is frighteningly similar to her father’s, she isn’t ready for the kick that comes right after, almost as if her attacker had expected it.

Dev grunts in pain and then tries to gain some distance between herself and this fake version.  
“W…what do we do?! Are we supposed to fight these guys?”

Miljana sees how her own replica fires an arrow, which she just barely manages to avoid. At her side, she hears growling between the two melandru’s stalkers who collide in a fierce fight.  
“You heard what the voice said! We have to defeat ourselves to reach Ascension!”, she yells. She prepares an arrow of her own, but unfortunately, it appears that her copy is just as smart as her and knows her tricks, which allows it to dodge the shot.

Saya grits her teeth while she blocks a high attack from…well, herself, and then has to dodge a high kick. She tries to counterattack, by spinning around and deflects each slash of her opponent’s blades, to get in closer, but the doppelganger understands her tactic and not only manages to counteract it, but also disarms her on one side, letting the dagger fall to the floor.

“This is insane! This bitch knows everything I do! She sees through every attack!”, she exclaims.

It appears that she’s not the only one to make this assessment, as each of the others find themselves at a disadvantage, either getting hit, or having all of their attacks miss somehow.  
“We can’t fight like this forever!”, they hear Isidro calling out from his corner.  
“They’re going to overwhelm us eventually!”

He tries to prepare some fire of his own, using his talisman, but to his shock, his doppelganger manages to reach out to the flames he just launched and turns the attack right back at him, something he has never experienced before. He manages to create a shield of air to block it off, but only barely, as the flames singes his arms.  
From another side, Amadi has a scythe duel with his own copy. Both of their expressions are stern and unmoving as the blades collide or when either of them reaches out in a prayer to the gods. None of the young dervish’s attacks seem to work, and even when he uses his fiercest abilities, which he has only ever prepared against opponents that can’t be defeated by anything else, the doppelganger seems to be able to counter it.

The whole fight is frustrating and the longer it lasts, the more their strengths are drained, with not even Nakota being able to hold on forever.  
The first one to almost be overwhelmed is Amadi. As his stamina wanes, he has been forced on the defensive and while he attempts to block the attack, the blade eventually reaches past his defenses and digs into his chest.  
He grits his teeth and expects pain, but it doesn’t turn out quite like anyone could’ve anticipated. Instead of being hit physically, there is a black flame which burns from his wound, and it slowly begins to spread over his skin, even as he distances himself from his opponent.

“Amadi!”, Isidro shouts across the room, but unfortunately, this gives his opponent the chance to launch a new flanking strike.

Miljana wants to shoot an arrow to help him, but knows she can’t lose focus either.  
“Isidro, don’t get distracted! None of us will get out of here if we don’t win this!”

Sadly, the elementalist doesn’t seem to listen and he too gets thrown into a process where he might soon be overwhelmed. It doesn’t take long for most of Miljana’s companions to meet the same fate, as nothing they try even remotely seems to work.  
To her surprise, when she sees her friends falling, she notices how they don’t really end up in pools of their own blood or anything one might expect from falling in combat. Instead, shadows descend upon them and she almost feels as if these entities are draining the real bodies somehow.

After a few minutes of a similar struggle, she senses how she will soon expire, just like her friends, and while she doesn’t wish to die, at least she’ll be doing so in combat and around people she has cares about. That has to be some kind of comfort.  
“No”, she tells herself while panting. “I can’t…I can’t give up. Not now.”  
She looks up and glares at her doppelganger who remains at range, unfazed by her reaction.  
“I’m not gonna let you win this.”

Fighting past the pain, and seeing the black fire upon her own body, which slowly spreads like it did on the rest, she takes a deep breath and tries to collect her thoughts. Thankfully, it appears that the other doppelgangers have not all gathered to attack her together, and Miljana now begins to understand what the trial is truly about.

“That’s it, isn’t it?”, she says, once more mostly to herself.  
“This isn’t about showing that you’re better than yourself. Ugh, why didn’t I get that earlier?”

She then tosses the bow to the ground, grabs her blades from the holsters by her belt and runs forward.  
The doppelganger narrows its eyes, and mirrors her choice of switching weapons. Of course it would, as that’s part of its programmed actions, of what it would be created to do. It knows everything that Miljana does.  
A few seconds before she reaches her opponent, Miljana disarms herself completely, tossing the blades aside and does something she has almost never done – goes into a fight with only her bare fists.

The doppelganger slashes against her with the first blade and Miljana dodges, still being cut a little bit, but she can deflect the attack to a slight degree, by parrying the arms.  
To the surprise of the copy, Miljana’s new tactic works very well, and while a few swipes get through here and there, the ranger also manages to occasionally punch the replica in the chest, in the face or kick at its legs. She gradually and systematically takes her opponent down into pieces, working through the defenses, until it has nothing more to give.

To Miljana’s delight, the copy eventually looks just as tired as she is and therefore starts to make mistakes. This is when she understands that she soon won’t have many more opportunities and uses the tactic she hoped to utilize earlier.  
When given the chance, she dodges another strike and then seizes the arm, bending it enough so that the copy drops the blade. She gets close enough to trip the doppelganger and while they both fall, Miljana ends up on top.  
When they lie there and attempt to wrestle with each other, she reaches out, grabs the nearby blade and digs its own weapon right into its chest.

The copy widens its eyes and opens its mouth in shock, but the fight is over. As it dies, the doppelganger explodes into light and Miljana has to cover her face to not look directly at its bright flames.  
When it is done, Miljana finds herself surrounded by the white fire that earlier burned on the braziers and in the doppelganger’s eyes. All of the shadowy wounds, along with the pain, are gone.

The Divine Fire which has purified her, is now also under her control and while she rises from her position, she turns to look at her companions, seeing them all still being drained by the shadows of their own failure. Miljana clenches her fists, grits her teeth and gathers as much power as she can. Throwing her arms out towards them, the Divine Fire erupts in a wave of cleansing light, which disperses each of the shadows on her friends.

After a few moments of trying to establish where they are and realize that none of them feel the harm they suffered earlier, their eyes turn to witness the shining beacon of Miljana that stands in the middle, with her purple cloak flapping behind her.  
“Stand up, it’s time to get going.”

“Jana? What…what happened?”, Dev asks as she rubs her forehead.  
“Where are the copies?”

“Gone. I realized that I couldn’t do what needed to be done, without thinking outside the box. The point wasn’t to defeat yourself, but to understand that we can all be more than what we see ourselves as.”  
She smiles as she turns her eyes to look into her hand and she clenches it, letting the flames swirl around her fingers.  
“I now know where Glint’s lair is and I can guide you. C’mon.”

She nudges her head towards the opposite wall from where they entered, and when Miljana gets closer, another passage reveals itself for them. Their destiny continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Not quite the same ending as the actual fight against the doppelganger, but I liked this idea more._


	36. Of a dragon's maw

Glittering crystal litters the roof, floor, walls and practically the very air around them. Every path ahead is filled with twisted reflections from the uneven landscape and each step echoes across the area, travelling almost fully unopposed. The mystery fills them with feelings of confusion, surprise and wonder. If the Hall of Ascension seemed otherworldly, yet familiar, this place is beyond their understanding, as if it could not quite have been imagined by human minds. The further in they travel, the more they realize how correct such an assumption is.

At the end of their trail, the group is faced with a view they wouldn’t have ever thought to be possible for them to witness. The stories they’ve heard of dragons don’t quite live up to the appearance of Glint, nor does the size. Even as she lies sprawled out on the shimmering floor of her lair, she’s massive, many times larger than any other creature could ever aspire to be.  
Except for the long tail, curling and whipping back and forth occasionally, as well as the huge folded wings, they see not just sturdy scales over her body, but crystals poking up around her claws, back, head, arms and more, giving them the sensation that she and the lair are one being. One might assume she is in fact a crystalline entity, simply being intermingled with organic matter.  
Her icy blue eyes are glowing and swirling, looking more like a burning fire than the gaze of a person.

As she speaks, her voice seems to not echo, but emanate from all around them, increasing the previous assumption that they collectively made.  
“It has been almost 800 years now, since I first began the wait for the inevitable events that would come to shape a new world on Tyria. I witnessed the distant disasters which would be known as the ‘Flameseeker Prophecies’ and relayed them to an unsuspecting world, one who doubted that anything would ever change.  
During this time, I have lingered in expectation, knowing that the true Chosen would eventually be born and break the rules of the lands that opposed them.”

Her gaze slowly sweeps across the group, one by one letting them feel as if she has always known who they were and their innermost thoughts.  
“Many have attempted to come this far and went through a variety of trials. Some stumbled not further than the entrance of this desert, while others faltered just before the end. There are those who have impressed me, ones that I would surely give praise to, but it was never the purpose.  
Each one of them failed, and even though I knew that someone would go further than those who came before, I could not be entirely certain of their true identity. If I had, then they would not be Chosen.”

As she tilts her large head slightly, the team almost think they can see the faint traces of a smile on her face, even though it seems unlikely.  
“You cannot know what joy your arrival has brought me”, she continues. “Your success was inevitable. I am sure you feel that the difficulties set before you should not have been there if this was the case, but you would be wrong – had you not struggled, there would have been no reward.”

She suddenly pushes herself up, getting into a seated position, which only makes her seem even larger. As she does, the ground beneath them shakes and trembles, but it holds. In the same process, she also spreads her wings, perhaps trying to pronounce the gravity of the situation.  
“By conquering the trials, you have shed your identity as the Chosen, and now stand as Ascendants, as foretold by the Flameseeker Prophecies. The gift of True Sight is yours.”

When she finally gets somewhat quiet, the team feels practically overwhelmed and don’t quite know what to say at first. Eventually, Miljana takes a step forward and clears her throat as she looks up at their large host.  
“Uh, we have heard those words before, but we still don’t quite know for sure what it means. What will ‘True Sight’ give us?”

Glint turns to look at her specifically and while she’s so much larger and louder than any of them, she speaks with an unexpectedly gentle and careful tone.  
“What do you know of the Unseen Ones?”

“You mean…the ones that the White Mantle worship? Not much, other than that they want the Chosen dead and they somehow helped Kryta in the past.”

The dragon slowly nods her head.  
“Indeed, so they did, but it was not all out of benevolent intentions. The Unseen Ones have a plan, as they always had.  
Their true identity is that of a race called the mursaat. Long ago, they were known as the most powerful spellcasters on Tyria, along with a whole range of other people.  
Many millennia before humans arrived on this world, they had countries, cities and culture, much like you do now. However, certain events made them disappear from the world you know, and they hid beyond the reach of mortal minds.”

By now, Glint has lowered her wings again and while she doesn’t lie down anymore, they still feel that she’s very relaxed, which seems to spread to the others as well, in a fairly soothing motion.  
“For a long while, it was assumed that they would never return, and remain lost in the obscurity of myth. Unfortunately, they had not expected the visions that I would receive, which spoke of their inevitable demise.”

“The Flameseeker Prophecies…”, Miljana says quietly.

“Precisely.”

“So, does this mean that you saw them as enemies? Was this your way of trying to destroy them?”

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Glint gives off a chuckle, which sends slight vibrations through the floor.  
“No, dear Miljana, I do not want to cause harm to any species on this world. All I ever did was relay what I had witnessed and let the people react to it. Unfortunately, the mursaat did not enjoy the thought of the prophecy at all and took it very seriously. Ever since then, instead of searching for the truth of the matter, they immediately began a secret crusade to stop the prophecy by force, destroying all who they assumed to be Chosen.”

Isidro frowns in thought as he watches her.  
“But, how is that possible? None of us has ever heard of these…mursaat before just a few years ago.”

“Indeed, because you could not interact with them. As I said, they were phased out of this reality, hidden and lurking outside even the shadows.  
The only ones able to reveal them were the Chosen, who would Ascend and gain the gift of True Sight, by impressing the entities which you know as the Five Gods. Their powers go beyond even the mursaat, and while they rarely intervene on Tyria anymore, they would stand ready for a specific set of individuals.”

The fire of her eyes is momentarily diverted to the floor as she seems to consider another aspect.  
“In many ways, it is inadequate to call True Sight a ‘gift’”, she explains, “for it is not something given to you, but rather something you are born with. True Sight always lay slumbering within your souls, ready to be awakened by the touch of the gods.”

“And coming to your lair brought it out of that state?”, Miljana asks.

“It did.”  
She raises her head and looks at the crystals which surround them.  
“This dimension is similarly phased out of Tyria, and carries the touch of the Five, which I was granted long ago. I have kept it close to me, just as they asked during the time we spoke.”

What she says sounds impossible to imagine, to even consider that anyone alive today has ever met or seen the gods. However, they will admit that Glint is beyond anything they could’ve expected as well.  
“What does this mean?”, Miljana eventually inquires.  
“What is expected of us now?”

Glint lowers her gaze again, but looks at all of them, rather than just the ranger.  
“Nothing is expected, as it is entirely your choice what you wish to do. However, I assume that you want to answer the call of your home, which still remains in a suffering state.  
Currently, the mursaat have begun their journey across Tyria once more, starting with Kryta and the Shiverpeaks. As you may have anticipated, they are trying to hunt down the ones known as the Shining Blade, their only rivals at this time.  
The Shining Blade is, unfortunately, on the brink of complete destruction, much thanks to the traitor in your ranks.”

Everyone except Amadi displays some kind of anger at the thought and Isidro especially clenches his fists.  
“Markis…”

“While this traitor is a danger, he is not your foremost concern, if you are to save Kryta, but rather to stop the mursaat. Fighting them is not possible for these people, for only the Ascendants will have a chance at success. You are the sole individuals able to witness the Unseen.”

Her words certainly inspire something in them, a hope and a sense of purpose, but it does not go untested.  
Miljana is still somewhat skeptical, especially when she considers every aspect of what they’ve been told so far.  
“But, how are we supposed to do that? If these people are as powerful as you say, how are we supposed to fight them and win? We’re only humans and even the magic we have on our side can’t reach the levels of the mursaat.”

Once more, they’re pretty sure they see Glint smiling as she nods curtly.  
“This is true, of course, but your visit here is not over. True Sight may have been something of a gift from the gods, but my gifts shall be ones of power.”

Miljana widen her eyes in surprise.  
“Your…gifts? You’re going to give us something to fight them?”

“Indeed, for I wish to give you the possibility to continue your quest, as you are meant to.”

Further behind the ranger, Sayaki tilts her head curiously.  
“Uh, you’re gonna give us weapons then? Didn’t you say that you don’t want to harm anyone on Tyria?”

That grants them a brief sigh from the dragon.  
“This is true, for I have never truly wanted their deaths, despite having seen and spread the prophecy. The mursaat have gone too far, caused too much damage and disrupted the balance of this world, an act that I cannot accept. I may not fight them myself, but I shall give you a chance to seek your own destinies. In a way, it is also part of the path which fate has chosen for us all.”

Miljana clears her throat.  
“Well…we’re obviously ready to accept anything you want to give us.”

Glint nods and starts by turning to the ranger. As her eyes begin to shine brighter, a light shoots up from the floor and swirls around in the air, before it descends right into Miljana’s arms. She gasps as she feels how an item takes shape in her hands, and when it gains a solid form, she sees how it shimmers similarly to this lair.  
“To you, brave and decisive Miljana of clan Vlasic, I grant a gift directly from my lair. It is known as Truthseeker, carrying powers similarly to my own essence, with magical arrows that will continuously replenish on their own. These projectiles are unlike human-made ones, as they seek the target of the wielder’s desire, from an immense length and impossible angles.”

Miljana can’t help but stroke her hand along its length and gets a strange sensation, as if holding it makes her feel it both from outside and within. She grips it a bit tighter and smiles, bowing before Glint.  
“Thank you, lady Glint. I am honored.”

Afterwards, the dragon shifts her gaze towards another of the women.  
“Cunning and agile Sayaki, to you, I shall give a set of blades which few have been able to tame.  
They are known as the Bloodcursed Fangs, able to change size at will and pierce any physical material they carve into.”

Instead of the same process as the bow, they see how Glint moves her claws towards the ground and digs into it, making a dark liquid spray out from the hole. It flies straight towards Saya, who tries to protect herself, but instead of being hit by anything, she sees how two red blades forms in front of her, with the black hilts set into her hands. After being shocked by the sight, she feels how something swirls in her mind, and when she tries to reach out to it, they all see how the blades change size from daggers to full-blown swords. A second later, they change back. Saya grins.  
“Hah, now this is what I’m talking about! They weigh practically nothing too. Damn, I gotta try these out in combat.”

“Devoted and collected Amadi”, Glint continues, “you have long believed in the gods and their might, trusted in their guidance and truth. However, the means for your path forward, requires something special.”  
They see how a crack appears in the ground not too far from him and it quickly begins to grow, until the middle of it breaks completely and a black pole shoots up into the air. For a few seconds, it simply hovers there, until a blade grows at the top, and it slowly descends into Amadi’s hands.  
“I present to you, Earthbound Blessing; an obsidian scythe, crafted in the very depths of this world, when it was still young. As the gods travelled across the earth long ago, it did not sit idly by and ignored them, but rather captured parts of their remnants and absorbed them. This allows the wielder to hear their words better than any other weapon.”

Amadi looks at his new tool with interest, feeling the smooth surface of the hilt with the palm of his hand and is fascinated by a similarly light weight.  
He then mirrors Miljana’s previous move and bows.  
“Your gift is unexpected, but very much appreciated, lady Glint. I shall treasure it.”

She has been satisfied with their reactions so far and now gets towards Isidro.  
“Spirited and stubborn Isidro, you have always found success with that talisman of yours, have you not? Yes, I know quite well of its true origin and the fire which burns so brightly. It is an impressive item, one I would not wish to take from you nor circumvent, but there are other aspects of your magic which might need improvement, correct?”  
Below his feet, Isidro suddenly sees how a pool of water forms, growing bigger and bigger, until they’ve almost completely been covered. However, before that happens, it shifts away, and circle around him, until it gathers up to create a more solid shape, which looks like a very ornate and intricately crafted bottle.  
“It has been called ‘the Lifespring’, an endless source of water. Having this in your possession will not only increase your magical abilities overall, but give you the opportunity to better protect those you care for.”

Isidro smiles as he hears it and grasps it tightly in his hand.  
“Thank you, lady Glint. I promise to make good use of it. Kryta will be saved, as long as I’m alive.”

As four of them are done, Glint now turns to the last of the entire team, and that woman doesn’t know for sure if she wants to hear it.  
“Ah, and so we come to the kind and strong Devona. I know that look in your eyes and I realize how you must feel. You have fought with that hammer for a long time, have you not? I doubt you wish to abandon it.”

Dev seems somewhat unsure then, biting her lower lip, before she raises her hand to pull her weapon forth and grips the hilt with a small bit of sorrow.  
“I have. It’s…it’s my father’s weapon, which he used to fight in the Guild War. It’s all I have left of him.”

Glint nods briefly.  
“I understand the predicament and how you would not wish to leave it behind, nor would I want to tear it from you. The bond you share with this weapon is something that goes beyond mere physical comprehension, reaching to the spiritual. That is a strong connection, which should not be broken.  
Therefore, I will not take it from you, nor try to grant anything as a replacement. Let me instead enchant this tool and bolster it with the power it deserves.”

She raises one of her clawed feet and slams it into the ground, shaking the floor much fiercer than before. Suddenly, the area below Dev begins to glow and she gasps as she sees how it surrounds her hammer, changing its shape to various degrees. It seems to get slightly bigger, with spikes filling certain corners and any imperfections are sealed, as if being repaired better than most blacksmiths could.  
“What…what happened to it?”

“I have infused it with the strongest material known in this existence – dragon bone. With this gift, I also grant it a name, unlike what it has had before. You are now Devona, Ascendant and wielder of Dragonheart. Use this gift well, young warrior.”

Dev takes a deep breath as she looks at it, and then swings it around, sensing how she almost goes along with each shift. She smiles and nods respectfully at Glint.  
“This means a lot to me. I will live up to the expectations of what that entails, I swear.”

Finally, seeing how each have been given the gifts they need, she lowers herself back onto the ground.  
“You are now ready to face the dangers ahead and get closer to achieving victory. All that remains is a path.”  
She pulls one of her claws over the ground, seemingly drawing some kind of symbol. To her side, some of the crystals fuse together to create a circle, and a light shines in between them, giving the team a view of a familiar mountain.  
“You will now be able to go to the Shiverpeaks and reach the goal you had set out for yourselves. Prepare for the worst, as the mursaat will surely be waiting in the cold. Only you stand a chance to defeat them.  
However, do not believe that this is the end, for the Flameseeker Prophecies are not over. The Ring of Fire will call for you eventually, which shall reveal the truth in time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This was one of those dilemmas I had when I was planning this story months ago. Like, they were turned into Ascendants, but how would they stand a chance against the mursaat? The game itself is very systematic, having strict gameplay rules and actions that you can perform, but since this is a story, I had to be more fluid and flexible. Games also give their players upgrades and stuff occasionally, either by gear or new abilities, but that wouldn't really work in a story like this. That's why I had to think like, "how can I make them more powerful?"_   
>  _At first, I figured that, maybe Ascension itself makes them more powerful somehow, but I didn't want them to just become super humans or whatever, as that would be boring. This is when I remembered the meeting with Glint and figured "couldn't she just give them weapons instead? She's very powerful, so why not?"_
> 
> _And yeah, the names are a bit cliché, but I kinda want them to be that way. It gives them a better purpose for this story, seeing as how there's not really a lot of weapons with specific names here._


	37. Snowfall falter

As the snow slowly trickles down from above, Sayaki looks up towards it and sighs.  
“More? Do you really need _more?”_ , she says quietly to herself. Technically, it was to the mountain, but would it really listen?

After they went through the portal in Glint’s lair, they felt like they stepped onto a path that led them back to the real world again, after having been away for so long, practically trapped in a place which seemed lost in time. However, this wasn’t really the region Saya would’ve chosen for them to enter, if she could actually have made that decision.  
So far, she has only been to the Shiverpeaks once and that was in the company of the White Mantle. While all regions of the mountain are probably just as cold, it felt like the last time they were here was a particularly mild part of the season, something that allowed her to mostly resist the cold. If only it had been that easy now.

As she sits in the outskirts of their camp, while some of the others are scouting the area or trying to set up their sleeping arrangements, she stares out over the land. As she’s not as great at performing some of those other activities, she took it upon herself to sit as the lookout, without really thinking about what that would mean.  
What is it with snow anyway? She has never been a fan of it – not in Cantha and certainly not in this place, where it’s so much more prevalent and therefore way worse. Watching the scenery in this region, you’d think it would have enough of the white stuff already, but no, it appears that it wants to add another layer.

Even if she’s supposed to be watching their surroundings, she finds herself distracted by the cold. If only they had stayed in the dwarven town they ended up in earlier, Droknar’s Forge. Sure, it was cold too, but it had a lot more places to warm yourself in. And alcohol too, even if it wasn’t her favorite kind. Unfortunately, time was of the essence, and still is, which is why they headed out into the wilderness in hopes of following a trail to the Shining Blade, which they’d located.  
Saya is pretty sure she could’ve convinced Miljana that they should stay at least another day in the town, but Devona was very insistent that they leave. The underlying reason isn’t even something that Saya has to guess at, as she has witnessed quite enough of what drives their little warrior.

While she may have bought some extra clothes to keep the cold out, like a jacket, a scarf and some thicker boots, it doesn’t seem to be enough, as she’s still shivering. Miljana told her to get a big fur-lined coat instead, but Saya disregarded that advice, thinking it would be too incompatible with her fighting style. Perhaps she should’ve listened. After all, if necessary, she could’ve just tossed it away whenever they get into danger.

It gets to the point where she focuses so much on being cold that she doesn’t even notice when someone walks up from behind, until it is way too late. She twitches as she finally senses it, but fortunately for her, it is no one who wants her harm.  
“How are you doing? You’re shaking like crazy out here.”

Saya widen her eyes as she feels a large and warm item being wrapped around her. When she looks at it, she sees how a large piece of cloth like a blanket, with thick fur on the exterior, is being placed on her. After viewing it and sensing how it immediately begins to capture the fleeing heat, she turns her attention to the woman who has her arms around Saya. That’s when she smiles.  
“Hey, beautiful. I thought you were gonna do stuff with the camp.”

Miljana smiles and shakes her head briefly.  
“Yeah, and we’ve already done that. Almost finished now.”

She nudges her head towards an area under the watchful gaze of several trees with huge crowns. A good place to hide in, which they’ll likely have to do out here. Within, Saya can see a few tents set up close to each other, and a campfire has been started as well.  
“Oh…right. Shit, I totally missed that. Guess I was distracted.”

Miljana smiles and raises a hand to caress Saya’s cheek.  
“I figured as much. You seemed to be completely gone for a while.”

They move a bit closer to a few rocks nearby and Miljana brushes away some of the snow so that they can sit down. Immediately, Saya exhales heavily, opens the blanket and allows her beloved to join her under it as well, while she snuggles against Miljana’s neck.  
“It’s just so goddamn cold out here. I hate it.”

“Well…yeah. But you knew that, didn’t you? This is the place where we first met.”

“Technically, it’s miles away from here.”

Miljana smiles and rolls her eyes.  
“C’mon, it’s still the same type of land.”

“Yeah, and that’s the problem. There’s just so much snow, ice, cold, snow, rocks, no sun in sight…” she can’t help but sigh once more. Even talking about it makes her miserable.  
“Did I say snow?”

That gets the ranger giggling and pulls Saya a bit closer under the blanket, holding her arms around the rogue. Saya seems eager to take heat from whatever she can get ahold of, but Miljana certainly doesn’t mind.  
“It’s not that bad. I mean, yes, you’re right, it is cold and I’m not a huge fan of it either, but in a way, it’s kinda beautiful as well.”

Saya arches a skeptical eyebrow.  
“What? How? How is this cold-as-the-Mists landscape beautiful?”

While they’re not looking at each other, Saya can still see when Miljana raises one of her hands to poke it out of the blanket for a moment and sweep it over the region.  
“There’s just something so…different about it, you know. I sort of feel like the Shiverpeaks shares some qualities with the Crystal Desert. It is drifting through time in a very static and slow manner, never changing and unmoved by the rest of the world. While most other places have alternating seasons, which changes your perspective and shapes many societies in a time loop, the Shiverpeaks ignores that. To survive out here, you need to use your wits and think about more than just the next day.  
It’s gorgeous and terrifying at the same time, and I kinda like that.”

Saya has slid down somewhat and now rests her head on Miljana’s shoulder, while she tries to observe the same places as the ranger. Her eyes are mostly drawn to the much taller peaks far above their current position.  
“When you look at it that way…I guess you have a point. Dunno if it really makes it any better for me.”  
For a moment, as she views the falling snow, which they’ve now at least slightly escaped, something is triggered in the depths of her memory.  
“I guess this kind of place mostly makes me think of a story that I was told in the past.”

Miljana’s interest is immediately piqued and she gazes down at her girlfriend.  
“Oh? A story from your childhood?”

“Yeah, you could say that. I was a kid when my mother first told it to me.”

The ranger smiles as Saya feels how a hand runs through her hair, something she finds both soothing and enjoyable.  
“What’s it about?”

Saya snorts amusedly.  
“You really wanna hear it? It’s not that good.”

“Well, why don’t you tell me, and I’ll decide what I think about it?”

Taking a deep breath and attempting to collect her thoughts of events from the remote past, Saya tries to focus on something specific and finds herself viewing a small group of deer in the distance. They're wandering quite casually, but keeps an unending vigilance for anything around them.  
“My mother was always very much into, like, studying our ancestors and history, which she devoted a lot of time to. She often spoke of the past and wanted her children to know a lot about it too.  
I had this one ancestor, centuries ago, who was known as ‘Dragon-Knuckle Baiha’.”

“Dragon-Knuckle?”, Miljana asks with an undertone of mirth.

“Yeah, she was a fist fighter - or a brawler, I guess - of some renown. Some, like my mother, claim that she was the very best in Cantha during that time. She travelled around the continent, joining many tournaments and dueling various people across the Empire, defeating everyone she met in combat, with nothing but her fists.   
At first, she only accepted people who fought solely with their hands too, but eventually branched out to let her opponents utilize all kinds of weapons. And yet, no one could defeat her.”

Miljana nods slowly.  
“That’s quite impressive. Don’t think I know anyone that good myself.”

“Yeah, and that’s where her nickname came from, but she didn’t think it was enough. As she hadn’t faced any opponent that could properly challenge her in Cantha, she left and travelled with a boat to the north, ending up in Elona. She wanted to see if the other continents could do any better.  
Unfortunately, no one from Elona, Orr, Kryta or even Ascalon could give her the challenge she craved, at least not one she couldn’t conquer. For a while, it seemed like she would remain the champion of all time in terms of duels.  
And well, that’s when she turned her attention to the Shiverpeaks.”

Miljana tilts her head curiously, having assumed it would continue in that direction, but she wasn’t entirely sure.  
“She came here to fight?”

“Yup, or at least find someone that she hoped could defeat her. I mean, that’s pretty much what she wanted at this point. She wanted to find something that, no matter much how much she tried, she wouldn’t be able to win. Some said there wasn’t anyone living around these parts, except for dwarves, but she didn’t mind that. If necessary, she would travel as far as she could, taking on anyone she met.  
However, she had underestimated the most crucial opponent in the entire area – the mountain itself.”

“What? The mountain? What do you mean?”

Saya smiles wistfully.  
“She hadn’t quite expected how tough the actual climate of the Shiverpeaks would be. The cold, how slow the travelling is, the beasts disappearing in the snow...”

Miljana looks a bit skeptical now, and isn’t even sure what to say at first.  
“Wait, she hadn’t expected that it would be tough to travel in the mountains?”

“Hey, remember, she was a fighter, not really an explorer or a ranger. She preferred to go between larger settlements or at most make journeys into farmland villages. When she came up here, she dismissed everyone’s suggestions of going with a caravan or at least get some kind of help, and went in on her own. She underestimated the very essence of nature.  
And that’s when she stopped.”

“She turned back?”

Saya shakes her head briefly.  
“No, she gave up her fighting ways and settled down in the mountain. For the rest of her life, she dedicated all her time to studying and nurturing this land, until she slowly drifted away and was forgotten.  
It is said by some that Baiha still roams up in its heights, as a protective spirit.”

Despite the unexpected and somewhat strange ending, at least to her, Miljana smiles.  
“Hmm. That’s a very fascinating story, I must admit. This Baiha must’ve been a very interesting person to talk to.”

Saya sighs and snuggles further against Miljana once more.  
“Yeah, I guess so. I’ve heard that story a bunch of times now, though, and it has sort of lost its charm.  
For me, it mostly just made me hate the cold and mountains even more.”

Miljana begins to laugh and embraces Saya a bit tighter.  
“Don’t worry, love, I’m here for you. I’ll protect you from the terror of snowflakes and ferocious winds.”

“Tsk. Well, if that means more time with you in bed, I don’t mind.”


	38. Inner fire

The cold winds which permeates most of the Shiverpeaks are difficult to escape, even for those who seek shelter under the protection of trees or stones. There are of course ways to hide from them more efficiently, but Amadi is not one of those people who is particularly knowledgeable when it comes to combating the icier elements. He has experienced cold before, certainly, but not to this extent and with such an overwhelming presence. It is everywhere and invades through gaps in his clothing that he didn't even know existed.

As the group has created and prepared their little campsite, Amadi is currently the only one left to sit and guard it, a request he was eager to comply with. Despite not wanting to admit it, he is uncertain how long he can last through this weather.  
Even as he tries to sit down, cross his legs and concentrate on rituals and prayers, it doesn’t seem to aid him in any way. Technically, the rituals themselves cannot be blamed, for it is his focus that falters when nature constantly disturbs him. Eventually, he sighs and simply gives up. He starts to alternate between rubbing his hands together and over his body, to stay warm. The shaking increases the longer he tries.

“Hey, are you alright?”

Amadi glances over his shoulder and sees how the other man in the group approaches, holding a bunch of branches and sticks in between his arms. Similarly to the dervish, Isidro has surrounded himself with a warmer jacket, a fur scarf and a pretty thick knitted cap. For whatever reason, he seems able to resist the climate a little bit better, though.  
“I am fine”, Amadi states evenly.

“You sure? I mean, you’re shaking.”

Amadi clears his throat and faces forward again, closing his eyes as he pretends to prepare another set of prayers.  
“Do not worry for me. My faith and prayers shall help me find an inner peace which will keep me warm. It has worked before and will succeed out here.”

Isidro smiles, doing his best not to laugh at the strained effort Amadi displays when he tries to remain unfazed.  
“Okay, if you say so. Don’t mind me then, ‘cause I’m just going to put down these sticks right over here.”

As the elementalist wanders over to the middle of the camp, not all too far away from Amadi, the Elonian opens one of his eyes halfway and takes a peek at what Isidro is doing. Dropping the makeshift firewood on the location that he had prepared for them, he lines the pieces up appropriately, before he stands back up again.  
Amadi witnesses how the other man pulls forth the talisman from under his clothes, which gives the dervish a better view of it. Initially, it was difficult to determine exactly what it was supposed to portray, but it appears to simply be shaped as a burning flame. When Isidro secures it in the middle of his closed fist, a few sparks begin to form around his fingers, growing in numbers rather quickly, until he drops them quite accurately on the branches and creates a proper campfire.

Afterwards, Isidro turns towards Amadi, smiling as he gestures at his work.  
“You probably know what you’re doing, but if you’d rather not work so hard for it, you can share some warmth with me, if you’d like.”  
After a few seconds, he seems to consider what he just said and coughs awkwardly.  
“Uh…by the campfire, I mean! Yeah…yeah, that’s what I meant.”

Either Amadi doesn’t care about the awkwardness or he is too polite to point it out, because he ignores it. He clears his throat, relocates to a closer position and raises his hands in the direction of the heat in front of him.  
“I…believe you may have a point. It is probably wiser to tackle the difficulties of this land together. Thank you.”

Isidro’s smile widens as he hears it and he nods eagerly.  
“No problem! My magic can be useful in more than just combat, after all. Wish I could make all the snow go away, but…you know, that would be asking a bit too much of the elements. They’d probably tell me to piss off at that point.”

Amadi arches his eyebrow, possibly somewhat amusedly, before he concentrates on warming his hands and body by the flames.  
After sitting in silence for a little while and noticing how no one else has returned yet, he shifts his attention towards the item by Isidro’s neck.

“This…talisman of yours. It is rather peculiar. Where is it from? How did you attain it?”

Isidro blinks and turns to look down at the fire symbol. He raises a hand to poke the item, which makes it swing around a bit.  
“Ah, you mean this? Well, I didn’t go questing for it or anything like that. It was given to me.”

“By whom?”

Faint traces of a smile forms on Isidro’s lips again, as he tries to get a good view of it.  
“My old teacher, Tikendros, an old and stubborn man.”

“I see. By the way you describe him, it sounds as if you may not have had the best relationship.”

“Heh, well, you’re not wrong. We certainly didn’t get along very well, at least not for many years.”  
Isidro turns his focus back to Amadi, but there’s a certain distance to his eyes and wistful smile.  
“Tikendros lived pretty close to the same farming community as me and my mother did, in Sanctum Cay, and as he had been around there for quite a while, he was very well respected. Especially by most of the other elementalist in the same and nearby regions, he was seen as the strongest and most knowledgeable for many years.  
However, sometime later, when a new and young lad with good potential showed up at his doorstep one day, the others asked if he could help out and be the boy’s trainer. He refused.”

Amadi tilts his head curiously, almost having forgotten about the cold now, much thanks to the fire, but also due to his attention being focused on Isidro.  
“Why? If you had potential and were eager to learn, why would he refuse you?”

The expression grows, and Isidro now displays a small smirk.  
“Well, it wasn’t quite that easy. The things he saw in me – my slight arrogance, lack of patience, eagerness for action and destruction – were all aspects that he immediately disliked, or even hated. He couldn’t stand to look at me, much less be around me.”

“You were that conceited? You must have changed a lot then, as you seem to be much kinder and sympathetic now. There is obviously a lot of passion too.”

Isidro chuckles and raises a hand to run along his beard, being a little bit embarrassed.  
“Hah, thanks. I try my best, I guess.  
But yeah, I wasn’t the same back then, even though that’s not quite what mattered. Apparently, from what he told me much later, I reminded him of himself when he was younger, and all the mistakes he used to make.  
At the time, he never really told me all this, so we had to go through a lot of uncertain interactions and convincing, not just from me and my mother, but all the other elementalists too. Eventually, he did agree to tutor me and ‘make me better than I could possibly hope to ever be’.”

He folds his arms, turns his eyes towards the fire and looks deeply into it, letting the flames be reflected within them.  
“Those years were some of the toughest of my life”, he continues. “Maybe I have much left to live, but I will never forget that time. I hated everything he put me through, and especially him, for making me do it.”

“Did you ever get past that feeling?”

“Yeah, eventually. Despite the gruesome struggles and the belief that I might die at some point, in the end, I look back at them fondly now. I can thank the time spent with Tikendros for having grown into who I am today and gaining an understanding for the world. Without him, I don’t even know what might’ve happened to me.”

Amadi puts his hands together and rests them in his lap, while he nods in thought.  
“I can certainly relate to that sensation. My relationship with Hiwot was similar. It is interesting how we can learn to love those we hated, when it shows they only meant the best for us in the end.”

Isidro’s smile widens, and he inclines his head.  
“You’ll get no argument from me.”

“Where is this Tikendros now? Is he well?”

As soon as it’s asked, the joy and pleasant aura disperses from him immediately, and his gaze falls to the ground.  
“No. The White Mantle had him executed when he spoke up against their way of ruling our home a few years ago.”

It is said so easily and evenly, but the tone of it makes Amadi unsure. It almost feels as if Isidro’s emotions were immediately stripped upon mentioning this fact, which is unlike the passionate man he has come to know during this journey.  
“I see. I apologize for asking and…my condolences for your loss.”

Isidro raises a hand and waves somewhat dismissively.  
“Thanks, but I don’t need it. As painful as it was, that was just another part of why I have to defeat those bastards. They will burn for all the things they have done to hurt my homeland.”  
He moves his gaze and hand back to the talisman, getting a desire to grip it in anger, but a flashback enters his mind and stops the rage momentarily.  
“I was there when…when he died. Before he did, he handed the talisman over to me and told me where to find instructions for how to operate it. He had sealed them away, just in case.  
It was created from the death of a fire spirit of the land, decades ago. He bound its essence to this talisman, in order to keep its strength intact and bring an endless source of fire. There was almost no one else alive who would have the knowledge and prowess to make that happen, other than Tikendros. And now he’s gone.”

Not quite knowing what to do about it, Amadi eventually moves one of his hands to place it on Isidro’s shoulder.  
“I am sure that, wherever he is, your old teacher is proud of what you have become and the cause you fight for.”

Isidro nods slowly, hoping that this is the truth.  
“As long as I live, I will make sure that Tikendros’ flame continues to burn and that the White Mantle tastes our vengeance someday.”


	39. What was lost

It is a cold and windy day when the team led by Miljana finds their way into a set of ice caves, a few miles north of Droknar’s Forge.  
Their journey has not been particularly enjoyable, but at least mostly eventless. Except for a few beast attacks, horrible weather and the occasional natural hazard – such as Devona slipping on the ice – they managed to make it through safely. There’s no doubt that they have the dwarves to thank for this, due to giving them directions to where the Shining Blade would be hiding. If they hadn’t, then it’s likely that the team would be wandering amidst the cold until their deaths.

Thankfully, this does not end up being the case and as they enter these rather dark caves, they believe they can hear movement inside, something they hadn’t notice earlier. This is obviously the point, but they are surprised over how well the area hides noises, as well as preserves heat.  
When they believe they’ve arrived at the entrance to the camp, judging by the lights, shadows appear not too far away and bows are aimed at them.

“Halt! Identify yourselves, or your bodies will be littered with arrows, scum!”

The group are a little bit surprised at first by the hostility, but Miljana realizes why and holds up her hands.  
“Wait! There’s no need for aggression, as we mean you no harm! We’re allies of the Shining Blade.”

“Oh yeah? How ‘bout you prove that before we simply take your word for it?”

Pushing some of the others aside, the elementalist moves to the front and waves with his arm.  
“Hey, is that any way to treat your old comrade, huh? Bunch of ungrateful bastards.”

His tone is somewhat humorous, but it does get the attention of the guards, who lower their weapons.  
“Uh…Isidro? Is that you?”

The red-haired man grins and puts his hands at his hips.  
“You know anyone else with a handsome face like this?”

Seeming somewhat relieved, the guards actually chuckle and shake their heads.  
“You never change, huh?”

“Why change, when people love me the way I am?”

Soon after, the group is guided inside the camp, seeing several tents, fires and beds set up in various corners. If there are any civilians here, they don’t see them, as most appears to be members of the Shining Blade. Unfortunately, the numbers are much smaller than what they’re used to, which is a worrying sign.  
However, to their delight, another familiar figure comes rushing up to their location, in shape of a short copper-haired woman. With a smile on her lips, she wraps her arms around Isidro’s neck and almost tackles him to the ground.

“Isidro!”, she exclaims, some of it interlaced with laughter.  
“Oh, it’s so good to see you! I wasn’t sure if any of you were still alive.”

Isidro manages to remain standing and smiles as he returns Salma’s hug.  
“It’s good to see you too, kid. You haven’t been hurt, have you?”

Salma shakes her head and leans back slightly, to allow them to change of looking into each other's eyes.  
“No, I’m fine. Well, for the most part anyway. Took a few bruises a couple of weeks ago, but I’ll live.”

The others watch these two reconnecting with interest, sensing almost a sort of sibling value, similar to how it was in the jungles. However, they do have more pressing concerns.  
“We’re glad that you’re alright, Salma”, Miljana comments. “But it doesn’t seem like you’ve all fared particularly well. What’s the situation here?”

Salma sighs while she leaves Isidro’s arms, her gaze falling to the ground.  
“Desperate and deteriorating by the day. Everything so far is going poorly – we’re low on manpower, food, weapons, shelter…pretty much everything. I’ve done my best to help and hand out orders, even if I’m not the most tactically minded.”

“You have?”, Sayaki asks, a little confused.  
“Uh, no offense, but aren’t you a bit young for a leadership role?”

Salma frowns somewhat at the implication and folds her arms.  
“Perhaps, but it’s necessary that I help out where I can. They look to someone for guidance, and I’m the only one available. I have to be more involved from now on anyway, and that’s why I’ve taken charge of the remnants.  
I’m probably most suited for it, in regard to the future.”

This isn’t the first occasion they’ve heard Salma express concerns of the times ahead of them, where she will be given a chance to do something in return. It has made each of them suspicious and a bit curious.  
“You’ve said similar things in the past, which we didn’t really question”, Miljana points out. “However, this choice seems a bit…drastic. You mind explaining what’s going on?”

Salma tries to gather herself up and is on the verge of saying something, but she falters. Her eyes drift over to one she believes can help her out, and they lock with Isidro’s.  
He shows her a faint smile and inclines his head.  
“I trust them, my lady. I’ve never met as fine and heroic souls as these people and I’ve come to care for them as friends. There are few others I trust more.”

Breathing out in a brief sigh, she nods and finally gives in.  
“Very well. Then I suppose it’s time that you hear about it, especially after working for us for so long.”  
She puts her hands behind her back, trying to stand up a bit taller, which also silences some of the Shining Blade nearby.  
“My name is Salma, Princess of Kryta, daughter of King Jadon, descendent of King Doric and heir to the royal throne.”

The group instantly goes silent, their mouths opening and eyes widening in surprise, except for Amadi, who probably feels a bit out of the loop.  
“Princess?!”, Saya exclaims.

Miljana shakes her head slightly.  
“Well…damn, we hadn’t expected any royalty among your group.”

Suddenly, Salma looks a bit embarrassed and clears her throat awkwardly.  
“Erm…it’s not quite that simple. I am not, technically, you know…legitimate. My father may be King Jadon, but my mother was a Priestess of Dwayna, called Berea. She fell during the coup, unfortunately.”

The others seem somewhat understanding then, and Saya folds her arms.  
“So, you’re a bastard.”

Isidro frowns and snaps his head in her direction, while raising his finger to point at her.  
“Hey, don’t talk to her like that!”

Saya lifts her own arms defensively.  
“Whoa, hey, just stating the facts. Not insulting her.”

At the same time, Salma puts a hand on Isidro’s arm to soothe him.  
“It’s alright, Isidro. She’s correct. That is what I am, and I can’t deny it.”

It appears that Isidro doesn’t agree, as he snorts sharply.  
“Who cares if you’re ‘illegitimate’ or not? You are not like the King. He was a coward and fled our land, not even caring for the mother of his child, nor his daughter. You are the only one of royal blood who stayed, and you have been willing to fight by our side. That makes you worthy and it is why we pledge ourselves to you.”

The other members of the team see how several Shining Blade soldiers, both men and women, show that they share the opinion with nods or light bows of their heads. Salma does appear slightly uncomfortable with it, but she accepts the gestures as they are.  
Miljana turns to address Salma and shrugs.  
“Well, obviously, we’ve seen how you fight and we’ve gotten to know you, and therefore, we do not seek to dispute any of your rights.”

Devona nods in agreement.  
“You’re definitely better than the White Mantle.”

Salma crosses her arms as well and seems troubled.  
“Perhaps, but that is still the difficulty here. We have to defeat them in order for stability to return to Kryta and at this stage, that seems like an impossible goal.”

While they all know this to be true, for now, the team doesn’t seem very concerned about it, perhaps due to the information they have acquired.  
Dev even smiles and nudges her elbow gently into Miljana’s side.  
“So, we’ll be fighting together with another member of royalty. Just like old times, eh?”

Miljana chuckles.  
“Yeah, I suppose so.”  
However, that tone quickly turns more solemn.  
“Let’s hope that this doesn't end the same way as it did for Rurik."

“True. He deserved better than what he got.”

Salma listens to what they say, feeling the gravity of the situation.  
“I did not know him, but I have certainly heard and read about him. Prince Rurik sounded like a good man before he fell. It seems these mountains tend to draw a lot of royal blood to it.”

Miljana smiles and steps forward, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty, we won’t let the same fate befall you. We know much more of how to defend ourselves and how to take care of the dangers of this place now, than we did at that point. You’ll be safe with us, I swear.”

It appears that her words are quite encouraging, as Salma mirrors the expression.  
“I’m glad to hear it. Your aid and support mean a lot to me, miss Vlasic.  
But…uh, can you please use my name instead? I…I’m not very comfortable with such titles just yet.”

The ranger arches an amused brow and laughs. A bit further behind, Saya smirks and shakes her head.  
“Royalty who doesn’t wish to be acknowledged for who she is, huh? Heard that one before.”

Taking a look around the camp, and obviously seeing how Salma is in charge, brings a worrying aspect to Dev’s eyes.  
“Excuse me, Your-…sorry, I mean, Salma, do you know what has happened to the rest of the Shining Blade?  
Where’s Evennia?”

It’s very evident that this question brings concern and sorrow to their surroundings, as some of the guards look away, which makes Dev’s stomach tighten.  
Salma shows a similar hesitation, but only briefly.  
“Much of the Shining Blade has either been killed or captured at this point. We’ve lost far too much. Some are still spread out across the mountain, I think, but we've yet to make contact.  
As for Evennia…I’m sorry to say, but as far as we know, she was taken further up the mountain and brought into one of the White Mantle’s current prisons.”

While her team watches her, Dev’s brow furrows and her fists tighten. If she ever needed a reason for fighting the White Mantle even harder, this is it.  
“We need to go rescue her”, she says evenly, but firmly.

Salma nods and raises a hand, to show that they should remain calm.  
“Trust me, I know. There’s a lot for us to do, but Evennia’s release has always been our first and foremost priority. It’s been difficult for us to act on it, seeing as how we don’t really have the numbers nor the skills.  
However, with your arrival, I believe that has changed. Now that you’re here, perhaps we can finally make a move on this goal. If you’ll come with me, I shall tell you of the plan we’ve been working on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I put up a post on one of[my blogs](https://creativebankruptcy.tumblr.com/post/162785307900/i-actually-have-pretty-clear-thoughts-for-who-id), stating which VA I imagine my main characters to be voiced by._


	40. Hidden power

The path to saving Evennia is not an easy one, which is soon revealed to the Ascendant group.  
As the decision was made to travel towards the prison where the Shining Blade leader is held, Salma chose to come with them, along with a few of the other rebels, leaving the majority in their hideout. They wandered through the cold for a few days, avoiding White Mantle patrols along the way, until the princess suggested that it would be best if only a small group went ahead to scout the area.

Sayaki, Miljana and Nakota, who’s at their side obviously, join Salma as they ascend a rather tall hill, which puts them at a reasonable height to view the rest of the nearby region from above. In an appropriate location, they crouch down and observe the entrance of some type of cave system. Even though it was Salma who knew the way, they had to follow Miljana’s instructions for how to properly approach it without drawing unwanted attention. She is like a stealthy predator in the wilds, something the charr were made all too aware of, for two long years.   
From this position, they see a lot of White Mantle soldiers and knights, along with several pieces of equipment; mostly carts, cages and supply crates. Salma raises an arm and gestures over the area.

“So, this is it. Well, the outskirts, anyway. As you can see, they’ve got a pretty major operation set up here.”

Saya nods briefly, her eyes sweeping the camp. A few tents have been set up for the Mantle to sleep in, somewhere behind the haphazard wall that has been built at the front.  
“Not a lot of prisoners, though.”

“Oh, there are, just not very visibly. Most of them are being held within the caves, making it not just more difficult to escape, but also for us to actually get to them. We’re pretty much forced to enter through roads that they have chosen.”

Saya sighs.  
“Why am I not surprised? These assholes really love places that everyone else hates, don’t they?”

Hearing this makes Salma smile.  
“Well, the dwarves actually told us that this location is apparently known as the ‘Ice caves of sorrow’.”

The rogue turns her attention to Salma, not sure if she’s skeptical or just disappointed.  
“…you’re kidding.”

Salma chuckles briefly.  
“I wish I was, but no. You’re right; the Mantle really loves things that the rest of us would rather not approach, including their murderous gods.”

Miljana has sort of ignored their little conversation, as she and Nakota have chosen to focus on scouting the area with their eyes. Neither of them indicated this, but the duo works in such an efficient union that it happens automatically. Devona has often commented that they almost appear to be of one mind.  
“Do you know the exact location of Evennia’s cell?”

“Hmm, no, not the exact one, but we have an estimation based on some scout reports. Not the most solid of intel, but it’s better than nothing.”

“Okay, let’s say we actually manage to locate her and get her out of that cell - what do we do after that?”

With a slight nod and a more determined gaze, Salma points to the east.  
“Well, getting to the holding area itself won’t be easy, but if we go by your example here, then we will continue to head east. There’s an exit in that direction, which will give us a view over the frozen waters of the Shiverpeaks. They heat up during summer, breaking the ice slightly, but at this time, they should be solid. The dwarves will be waiting for us out there, with one of their ice ships.”

“Ice ship?”, Saya inquires.

“Yes, it’s like a normal ship, but built with two thin and sturdy slices of metal at the bottom, which allows it to traverse the ice. During windy days, they use their sails for movement, but otherwise they have dolyaks that can pull it forward. It will be the quickest way to escape.”

Miljana raises a hand and runs it through Nakota’s fur in thought.  
“The dwarves have shown to be reliable allies thus far, so it’s a reasonable choice to let them help us. Let’s hope that ship is faster than the Mantle.”

“According to them, it should be. Nothing this far north can match its speed, as far as what they’ve told us.”  
Salma’s gaze returns to the camp below.  
“However, it does surprise me how few people the Mantle have stationed here at this time. This is their largest prison in the Shiverpeaks and I suppose I expected them to have more guards.”

Saya snorts.  
“True. Who knows, maybe they’re just too stupid to, uh…”  
Her sentence is forgotten when she sees something below which immediately gets her attention. A few seconds drift by, which eventually makes Salma look at her with confused eyes. The princess tries to tilt her head and search for the source of Saya's interest.  
“Uh, what in the Mists are those?”

She lifts a finger and points at something, but when Salma tries to follow it, she sees nothing special.  
“What is what? The cages?”

“What? No, the flying things.”

Not the most elaborate description, but she tries to listen to it and let her eyes scour the entire camp below. Unfortunately, there’s nothing obvious with such a trait.  
“Flying? I can’t see anything down there. Some birds in the sky, sure, but not inside the camp.”

“Are you kidding? You don’t see those weird people, floating in the air? They’re in the middle of the camp! Look, there’s one right there, next to the closest cages.”

Salma is unsure now and lifts her hands to rub her eyes, but nothing changes. She wonders if there’s something wrong with her.  
“No, I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Before Saya manages to say anything else, she feels how Miljana places a hand on her shoulder.  
“There’s no need to question her, as she won’t be able to spot them. She doesn’t have True Sight.”

The rogue suddenly understands what’s wrong and she nods knowingly.  
“Ooh, right. So, this is what Ascension does. Then those down there must be the mursaat.”

Miljana scowls as she directs her attention towards the same type of invisible foes. Well, invisible for everyone else.  
“It would seem so, yes.”

Obviously, out of this little trio, Salma does not have the same information, nor abilities as the other two, and it doesn’t help with making her less confounded.  
“Excuse me, erm…could you explain what you mean by that? Who are the mursaat?”

“You know them as ‘the Unseen Ones’,” Miljana explains, “but the true name of their species is ‘mursaat’. They are not gods, only powerful spellcasters, who have phased out from our reality, making them impossible to see. The trials of Ascension have granted us the ability to witness their true forms, however.”

“You…can see the Unseen? What do they look like?”

“Strangely…ambiguous, I have to admit, although they are definitely humanoid.  
Their bodies and armors are almost of the same golden color, with masks covering their faces. The gloves and boots seem to have…claws on them, or possibly talons. On their backs, they have thin stripe-shaped wings, completely blackened.”

Salma tries to imagine them, although it’s obviously difficult to get exact shapes.  
“I see. And they…float across the ground?”

Saya nods, as she’s obviously watching the same sight.  
“Yeah, not even touching it for a second. From what the prophet told us, these people have apparently been hiding in the open this entire time, because our eyes can’t perceive them.”

This is obviously worrying to hear, and even though it’s a bit silly, Salma can’t help but glance over her shoulder. A ridiculous notion because, even if they were sitting in ambush behind her, she’d never notice.  
“How many?”

“Several”, Miljana remarks. “At this time, we can see about a dozen, but there are likely more. Most of them float between the different White Mantle groups, although it’s not clear which ones can actually see them or just hear them.  
The mursaat are probably stationed within every White Mantle outpost across the mountain. They know we are after them now, so they want to involve themselves as much as possible, to make sure we don’t succeed.”

They’re about to discuss this further, but on the road to the camp, they notice how a wagon with a cart rolls up, being pulled by a few dolyaks. Within the cart, they see several more prisoners, most of them a mixture of humans and dwarves. They’re rolled past the gates of the camp and once they get there, the cage is opened up.  
All of the prisoners are unarmed and while most of them show at least a little bit of defiance, no one dares to do anything. Well, except for one dwarf.  
This man tackles one of his captors, and then does his best to charge away, hoping to reach the walls before they can capture him.

While the four on the hill expect the knights to run after him, no one makes a move. Instead, three of them see how one of the mursaat floats forward, raises an arm and lights of black and white begin to swirl in its hand. The lights fire away, shooting forward like a spear and pierces the dwarf’s back. He falls to the ground with widened eyes, gasping and then does not exhale.  
He twists around on the ground, clutching his chest and while he tries to scream, his lungs won’t allow it. It’s as if his entire body is so clenched that it can’t do anything other than try to hold out until the pain is over, but no such thing occurs. A few seconds later, he simply stops moving and the rest of the prisoners, who have lost their will to escape, are pulled further inside.

Up on the hill, the group is silent, stunned by what they just witnessed. It’s uncertain what they can say to discuss the incredibly painful and horrifying death, something that occurred without a chance to fight back. Nakota emits a low growl, her tail twitching nervously.  
Salma swallows once, before glancing towards the other women.  
“I…assume that was done by the mursaat?”

Saya inclines her head, still looking at the body. There's no visible wounds on it whatsoever.  
“Yeah. Yeah, it was.”

She sighs heavily and runs a hand over her forehead.  
“I was afraid it might be. We…we have received reports of sudden deaths among our troops and how scouts have witnessed similar things like this, without being able to explain it. We thought they simply had magical wards or mines or…something. But it seems we were naive and mistaken.”

It seems more is at stake now than what they initially imagined. Glint’s warning was clearly correct. Miljana decides that this can’t possibly be done without a lot of care and thought.  
“I wanted to suggest this earlier, but I wasn’t all too sure back then. Now, I believe it’s best if you and the rest of the Shining Blade stay at a safe distance.”

Salma meets her gaze, and despite wanting to fight back, there’s nothing like that visible on her features, only resignation.  
“Yes, you’re…probably right. I suppose you and your team should take care of the majority of the infiltration. We can try to create some kind of diversion, and be prepared by our escape route.”

“Do so, but if you witness anything like this again, don’t hesitate. Run, for all you’re worth.”


	41. Regretful liberation

As darkness descends upon the Shiverpeaks, a rather quiet night follows the much more livelier and louder day that had occurred in one specific section of the mountains.  
The rescue of Evennia had gone quite well in terms of success for the main part of the mission, but that does not mean it was flawless. Some of the other Shining Blade captives offered to stay behind, even though their lives would without a doubt be forfeit.  
At first, Evennia had refused to accept this fact, but the others had dragged her along, telling her that she was needed. It was, after all, what the other captives wanted. They could not let this act be in vain.

On the ship, the Shining Blade leader had cursed and stomped, refusing to be calmed, but when they reached their temporary camp out in the wilds, she grew silent and retreated into a tent they had assigned to her.  
The rest of the team had been discussing what they needed to do now and took suggestions from the dwarves, but Devona found herself becoming distracted. As night, or at least late evening, arrives she decides that she needs to act upon her uncertainty and heads towards the same tent.

She approaches cautiously, correcting her clothes and making sure that she appears fairly presentable. Well, she probably looks like a mess either way, with all the fighting she was doing only hours ago and how her body in general has been affected by the cold.  
After clearing her throat, she knocks on the front of the tent and calls out carefully.

“Evennia? It’s me.”  
Dev leans a bit closer, trying to listen for a response, but there’s nothing. Maybe she’s sleeping? Better try at least once more, though.  
“Evennia, are you awake? I…I thought you might want to talk.”

Once more, she is only met by silence, a fact that saddens her somewhat. Well, not like Dev can blame her, as she’s probably exhausted after everything she has had to endure in the past several weeks. However, since they’ve not being given much time to spend together in private, Dev had sort of hoped they could do so now, and perhaps help bring the Shining Blade leader some comfort.  
She’s just about to give up and leave when she hears a voice from within, but much more meager than expected.

“You may enter.”

Grabbing the edge of it, Dev pushes the opening aside and goes inside. However, instead of the sight she had anticipated, she’s met by something far more worrying. Evennia is on the floor, but she’s not lying down. She’s sitting with her knees close to her chest, head buried in her hands. When Dev enters, she does her best to collect herself somehow, even though the warrior notices.

“Are you uh…are you alright?”

When the other woman inhales, it sounds like she’s shivering at the same time and she seems to wipe her face somewhat against her hands before sitting up. Her eyes are bloodshot and she swallows once.  
“I’m fine.”

Dev simply stares at her to begin with, before she goes further in and makes sure to shut the opening behind her. It’s rather dark inside, but the lights from the campfire is enough to at least allow them to see each other.  
“I don’t believe you. You look exhausted. Have you…been-“

“No”, Evennia interrupts, more firmly now.  
“Like I said, I’m fine. You just…woke me up, that’s all.”

She does her best to convince Dev, but the warrior won’t be fooled, even if she understands the sentiment. She’d want to stay strong as well, and with the position Evennia has, she can’t show weakness in front of anyone, lest everyone loses hope.  
Dev lowers her voice to accommodate Evennia, while sliding as close as she can.  
“It’s okay, Evennia. I understand. You don’t need to hide your feelings. No one else is looking.”

“I don’t need you to reassure me”, she exclaims sharply, but almost immediately looks guilty, probably realizing that it came out harsher than she had meant for it to be.  
She exhales and shuts her eyes, her shoulders slumping.  
“Salma told me what happened here during my absence. Not only did we lose so many in that camp and during our escape, but a lot of brave Krytans have fallen to attacks all across the nation.”

Dev hesitates, not having anything particularly uplifting to say. The truth is harsh at this stage.  
“I know. She…she informed us as well.”

“It’s my fault, Dev. I failed them all. I could have protected them better, _should_ have been a better leader. Because of me, the Shining Blade is destroyed.”

Dev reaches out with one of her hands, hoping to comfort her.  
“That’s not true. You can’t take the blame for all of this, as you certainly didn’t kill them.”

However, Evennia slaps the hand away, turning her rage at the warrior again.  
“Do you know how many have died? Do you realize how integral my plans and orders were to their movements?! For every soldier that has been lured into a dead end, every brave agent who have been impaled, torn apart from the inside or burned alive, my words lingered in their minds!  
Don't assume I'm that naive, Devona. My leadership led them down this path, led them to their demise. I am responsible for this and I refuse to pretend that it’s not the truth.”

As she stops speaking, Dev notices how the leader is shaking somewhat, although it’s uncertain whether it’s from rage or sorrow. She has to take it slow and careful here.  
“Look, I understand how you feel, Evennia. Don’t presume I’m unaware of what it’s like to make tough decision. How do you believe our situation was in Ascalon? You think we had it any better?”

Evennia widens her eyes slightly and then turns them down. Guilt reenters her as she realizes her folly.  
“N-no, I…I didn’t mean…”

The sentence simply drifts away and Dev sighs, reaching out with her hand again to seize the fingers of the other woman, albeit gently.  
“I’m more than aware of what trying to accept loss is like and it’s never easy. Every month, every week, _every day_ was the same back in Ascalon. We had reports after reports of mistakes, deaths, failures and new loss of territory. We were constantly retreating, with no signs of hope.”

She waits for a response, but it is delayed as Evennia nibbles at her lip, trying to work out her emotions.  
“How did you deal with that?”

Dev takes a deep breath while she tries to process her memories of that time. It’s like she digs into a particularly horrible journal, one that she had pushed as far away from the surface as possible, in hopes of not being reminded. Sometimes, she does have to pick it back up again.  
“In some ways, it was impossible to do so. All we had were our endurance, our resistance to anything around us. We had to do our best to…strip our emotions in most situations, leaving the grief and hopelessness to moments of solitude.”  
She looks downwards, becoming temporarily distant.  
“I remember how I sometimes went back to my hut and just…wept. I allowed myself those moments, as I couldn’t do it in front of the soldiers. I wasn’t the leader of the kingdom, but I was an officer and people depended on me. That doesn’t mean I was unbreakable and I knew that.  
Jana was the only one allowed to see it, for the most part.”

Listening to it doesn’t really make the situation all that much better, of course, as Evennia still comprehends that it might never get easier. However, she does realize that she maybe should allow herself some vulnerable moments.  
Slowly turning her gaze to Dev, she doesn’t approach, but she permits herself to look devastated, a sight she relinquishes for now. It is enough to bring sympathy from the warrior, who wraps her arms around Evennia and pulls her in. The leader closes her eyes again and lets herself be embraced.

“I…I’m terrified about what will happen. Everything we’ve built up, everything we’ve worked towards and then one little mistake, one betrayal, and we are almost reduced to nothing…”

Dev listens to Evennia’s quiet worries and holds her closer, running a hand through the brown hair.  
“You were defeated, Evennia, but you are not destroyed. The Shining Blade is still here, it still lives on.”

She buries her head further onto the warrior’s strong chest, clutching her arms around Dev’s sides.  
“And for what? One last gasp, one final humiliation? The White Mantle have everything, and we are practically empty-handed.”

“That’s not true, is it? You have us now, and even though we’re few, we’re not harmless.  
We succeeded, Evennia, with reaching out to the gods. They let us Ascend.”

They had mentioned this earlier, but Evennia was too distracted by the thought of their losses to respond or care. Now that she considers it, however, more guilt grows within.  
She silently takes comfort in Dev’s arms for a while longer, until she finally dares to look up. Raising one of her hands, she strokes her fingers gently along Dev’s cheek.  
“I…I was so worried for what might happen to you. I may have agreed with the Vizier’s plan, but I still feared the prospect of those trials being too much for you all, that you would never return. It kept me up more nights than I’d like to admit.”

Dev smiles and angles her head as to let Evennia’s hand embrace her cheek further.  
“Well, I’m not gonna lie, it was close for a while. We felt Grenth’s brief touch many times during our journey, but we couldn’t let it take us. All of us were eager to come back here, to help out the Shining Blade. It was on our minds constantly.  
For me, personally, I…I just wanted to see your face one more time. The thought of your approval, of your joy at our success, was mostly what kept me going.”

Despite how she’s feeling, how heartbroken she is by all the misery around her, Evennia still manages to display a faint smile. She leans in close, nuzzling against Dev’s neck.  
“I’m so sorry for sending you into such danger. Khilbron had warned me it would be very risky, but I wasn’t sure exactly how much. If I had known more details, I might’ve turned him down.”

“You shouldn’t think like that. This is our fight, as much as the Shining Blade’s. Kryta is our home and there are people within that matter to us. If we have to give our minds, hearts and lives for its liberation, we will.”

Tilting her head back somewhat, Evennia turns her eyes up, allowing the two women to gaze intensely into one another. Shortly after, she runs a hand through Dev’s blonde hair, pulling her down into a more equal height and pushes their lips together in a fierce kiss. It isn’t very deep or lengthy, but its touch almost seems to have a healing effect upon their souls.  
After it’s done, she finally gives up every thought of resisting.

“Stay here tonight. I can’t sleep without you.”


	42. Long-awaited vengeance

The journey and quest to find a way to defeat the mursaat and their White Mantle pawns continues, and it has taken the team even further north into the cold mountains. While they managed to avoid direct contact with the spellcaster race in the prison, what they witnessed of their magic prior to it, especially on that dwarf prisoner, had unnerved them. Glint gave them the power to see the mursaat and fight them, but how are they supposed to _defend_ themselves against such horrors?

Evennia had approached the dwarves about it, and in return, they had been given only one type of advice – seek the Seer.  
The Shining Blade doesn’t really know why, but the dwarves were apparently certain that this distant creature, hiding out in some kind of abandoned section of the mountains, knew more about the mursaat than anyone else. But why would anyone in the middle of nowhere be more knowledgeable of a people who have been hidden for ages? Is this another dragon?

Evennia had been given the map and followed the Ascendant team as they travelled down into a vast cave system, searching for the truth. While she is not like them, she still believes that it is part of her duty to continue aiding them, especially after she feels that she failed her peers when she was captured by the enemy. It is something she hopes to be able to redeem in every way, even though Devona protested, thinking it’s not necessary.

It has taken them several days to get here, travelling through snow storms, past dangerous predators and into tunnels which emit an eerie sensation, like they haven’t seen sentient beings in an eternity.  
Once the team enters one particular cave room, with Devona holding a torch up in the air to light the way, Isidro suddenly seizes her shoulder.  
“Wait, I can feel something.”

The rest stop with him, obviously referring to him in regard to magical affairs.  
“Can you be more specific?”, Evennia inquires.

His eyes slowly begin to travel across the area, narrowing as they do, but it is not truly them he’s using. Instead, he lets his mind reach out, trying to mentally ask the elements for guidance, and they do their best to provide.  
Eventually, he raises his gaze to the roof.  
“There!”

Everyone follows to where he’s indicating and once they look up, they soon see how something begins to drift down from far above.  
No, not something, but _someone_. A hairless ebony-colored being slowly floats down from the sky, in a very similar manner as the mursaat. Its eyes are completely blue, like two small ice orbs, and the clothes it wears, possibly robes, are made from similar shades as its skin, or maybe dark grey. From the initial glance, they would assume that this creature has four arms, where two of them are folded across its chest. Interestingly, it is not much taller than a human. They all realize that they’ve never seen a being quite like this.

Its descent slowly continues and all of them can do nothing more than look at it in shock, with their mouths agape.  
“Visitors”, it suddenly says, the lips on its face moving much less than they should. Its voice echoes as it speaks, bouncing around the area.

As no one else has managed to say anything else, possibly being cautious, Evennia take a step forward.  
“Greetings, great…seer. My name is Evennia and we are the Shining Blade. We were guided here by the dwarves, as they told us that you-“

“Yes, I am quite aware of why you have arrived”, it says, interrupting her. “There is no need to explain your purpose, as there is only one type of group who would seek me out. I did not know how long I would be forced to wait, but I was sure it would occur eventually.  
Come closer and let me have a look at you.”

They are all somewhat reluctant, but do as they’re told, slowly approaching this strange creature.  
“Do you know our names?”, Miljana asks.

They all notice how its eyes seem to move as if to scrutinize each of them, taking in their presences. The rest of its face never moves, however, nor does its arms.  
“No, your specific identities are unknown to me, but I can see that there is…something with you.”

From what it tells them, they aren’t completely sure, but there’s something in its voice which indicates that it may be hesitant.  
“We notice that you are…well, floating”, Miljana remarks. “It’s very similar to the mursaat.”

Just as she says this, it rises up a bit further in the air and lets out a noise which sounds very much like laughter.  
“Ahh, so you do know of them. I was unsure if you would have been able to witness their appearance, but as you admit to it now, there can be no doubt – you are the Ascendants, chosen of your Five Gods.”

“You speak as if you know them well. Have you heard the prophecy as well then?”

“Of course! Who does not know of the Flameseeker Prophecy, the great words once spoken by Glint herself? I wished to one day have a conversation with you, which is why I tried to follow every word and calculate the locations where you might arrive. However, I needed proof that it was truly you.”

Isidro arches a confused brow.  
“Wait uh, you’ve been sit-…floating here for a while? How long?”

“More ages than you would care to count, young human.”

Its words are curious and definitely surprising, raising a lot of their interest.  
“In that case, you must be a very wise being”, Amadi comments. “May we inquire as to who or what you are, and why you are so fascinated by us?”

Once more, they hear an amused sound from it, this time a chuckle.  
“Oh yes, of course, I do not mind your questions. It has been a _very_ long time since anyone wished to know the truth of my people, as there is not much left of us now.  
Some of your ancient history books, or at least those of your dwarven allies, may know us as the Seers. Our true name has been lost to time and ignorance, and even if I were to tell you, you would never understand. This is the classification we now prefer, for those few of us that remain.”

Miljana tilts her head curiously.  
“The Seers? You were an entire people?”

“Naturally, but that time has long since passed.  
Several millennia ago, long before humans had even thought to look upon the lands of Tyria, my people lived and thrived among many parts of this continent. We had allies as well, just like you. The dwarves, the jotun, the Forgotten and of course, the mursaat, were all people we had interacted with through the ages.”

The last part is something that makes them all confused.  
“Hold on a minute, you were _allies_ of the mursaat? That’s uh, a weird choice”, Sayaki points out.

The Seer chuckles briefly.  
“Yes, it certainly was, but at the time, we did not question it. For you see, during our age, many things brought us together, not the least a great disaster which threatened us all. By joining our hearts and minds, we tried to tackle this issue through a unified effort and for a long time, it appeared as if we would succeed.  
Unfortunately, the mursaat had always looked upon the rest of us as lesser beings and tried to find some manner to exploit our wish to cooperate. When given the opportunity, they turned their backs on the rest of us and disappeared. Only with Glint’s aid were we able to live through it, even though we took many casualties.”

Evennia snorts sharply.  
“Doesn’t surprise me that they would be so cowardly. From all we’ve seen in this age, they have only ever wanted to enslave and kill us too.”

For the first time, they see a bit more movement from the Seer, as it nods briefly.  
“Then you truly understand what they are like.  
When the mursaat returned and attempted to find some way to steal what we had accomplished, my people turned against them, which eventually started a war between our two races.  
However, we underestimated their powers, which doomed my kind. I believe you may have seen it yourselves. Their agonizing ‘gifts’?”

They are brought to silence by that suggestion and it’s not hard to guess what it is speaking about.  
Miljana and Saya share a quick glance.  
“We think so”, Miljana says carefully. “If you’re talking about their magic which seems to...tear people apart from the inside.”

Once more, it nods.  
“Ah, it is good that you understand what type of danger they pose.  
Yes, you are correct. Translated, the mursaat call this magic ‘Spectral Agony’, a power they attained when they phased out of this world. Because they had experimented so much with the Mists, the plane in between, we had no way to defend ourselves against it. Not until it was too late, at least.”

Isidro tilts his head curiously.  
“So, you did find a defense against it eventually?”

“We did, even though it cost us too much time. Nowadays, there are very few of us left, too few to rebuild our people and most of us have forgotten much of our past glory, or simply do not care.  
However, I do still remember the contents of the protection our people forged against the mursaat’s magic.”

“This…protection, can it easily be obtained?”, Amadi asks.

“Not easily, but it is doable, and with it, you might stand a chance. We were too late to defend ourselves, but since you will receive it quite early on, you may be able to turn the tide, before they will know how to circumvent it.”  
The Seer interrupts itself and laughs, but there’s a rather bitter undertone.  
“In a way, I see it as an opportunity for revenge against the mursaat, one that my people have _longed_ for. You will be the Seers’ retribution.”

Being the embodiment of vengeance is perhaps not what they had anticipated, nor what they really want, but it’s not like they can deny this creature’s request. This may be their only way to fight back.  
“Well, I don’t suppose we have much of a choice”, Evennia admits. “How do we go about getting this protection?”

“I shall guide you through the process and help you along each step. There are creatures here, hidden in the depths of the frozen darkness. Together with some of the magical materials I still have left from ages past, I shall infuse your spirits with a natural protection against Spectral Agony. Obviously, it will not protect you from physical weapons, but the most dangerous spells of the mursaat will now be as harmless to you as an insect’s bite.”

They are about to accept what they hear and prepare a hunt for whatever beast they need to slay for the Seer’s spell, but Miljana prevents them from continuing, as her mind still lingers upon something the Seer had said previously.  
“Before we go, I have to ask one more thing.”

It turns to her, the icy blue eyes scanning her entire being, possibly even looking inside. She isn’t sure what these people are capable of, just like the mursaat. In a way, it is almost like being trapped in between powerful entities that use them as nothing more than pawns. Miljana hates that idea.  
“Very well, ask your question.”

“Earlier, you mentioned something about a…threat, some kind of disaster that you all united against. What was that? What did Glint protect you from?”

As if she stunned the creature, it merely floats in the air, staring at her in silence. For a brief moment, Miljana can almost sense its feelings, as if it has grown distant and sorrowful, mourning the loss of the past.  
Then, shortly after, it erupts in a loud laughter that startles the others, with how quickly and loudly it appears.  
“Do not worry about such ancient horrors, young one, as it will not bother you. It will be generations before Tyria will once more have to comprehend the cruel fate of existence.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[The Seers](https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Seer) always came a bit out of nowhere in the Prophecies story and I wasn't really sure how to deal with it here. Part of me wanted to do something longer, extend the discussions with this Seer about the distant history of its people._   
>  _However, ultimately, I chose not to do that, as I sort of wanted to keep its cryptic presence intact. It feels a little bit better that way._   
>  _That said, I have considered exploring the Seers more in the future at some point, towards the end of Miljana's story. It's obviously quite a while until we get there, though._


	43. First blood

It is another cold day in the Shiverpeaks, as Miljana and her team find themselves on a ledge, overlooking a particularly distasteful type of area. About a week has gone by since they finished the preparations with the Seer, and their focus has now returned to their main task – free the Shining Blade from White Mantle hold, and then liberate Kryta.  
While the prison they held Evennia in may have been the largest, it is far from the only one. The team never intended to focus solely on that place, even if they will return to it when the time is right.

The prison below them is a smaller one, more open than the last, as it is not built within a cave system, but instead consists of a few meters tall wooden wall surrounding an area filled with tents and cages; the former for the Mantle and the latter for the Blade.  
They’ve been scouting the place for a few hours, getting everyone into position. All of the Ascendant team are here, of course, but so is Evennia, Salma and a single squad of Shining Blade soldiers. If they gaze down into the interior of the camp, the number of White Mantle knights are probably two or three times as many as what they have brought, which doesn’t give the onlookers much hope, but some of them refuse to give in.

At this time, it seems something unfortunate is about to happen, and while most of the Krytans don’t see it, Miljana’s team spots how one of the three mursaat present - all who arrived pretty recently - stand ready for the event. Several Shining Blade prisoners are being dragged out of their cages and up towards the area where the mursaat are waiting. A White Mantle inquisitor is situated next to the mursaat, being the one to relay all of the words spoken by their Unseen masters.  
To Evennia and her team, it is quite horrifying to imagine that that they’ll have to watch their peers being interrogated in the open. A public torture session, meant to make them talk or simply to instill them with fear?

Isidro is the first one to react out of the team as the session begins, clenching his fists tightly and gritting his teeth. He feels how his rage builds, wanting to spew fire everywhere, but he needs to hold back, to wait for the right opportunity. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t rather simply throw himself in there and tear their enemies apart, but he holds back.  
The mursaat leading the interrogation seems to utilize the same Spectral Agony as some of them have witnessed previously, but to a lesser degree. Instead of outright killing their victim, the prisoner simply receives all of the pain, but not as much of the damage. Naturally, that doesn’t mean it’s less effective, as her screams echo across the region, far past the walls of the prison, being a clear reminder for anyone who wishes to defy the might of the Unseen Ones.

Interestingly enough, Evennia and her team all get to witness a momentary vision. It appears that the casting of this spell, for only a brief time, makes the mursaat’s presence flicker into existence and become visible for the rest. They’re taken aback by the duality of their appearance, like a golden figure with cursed wings, punishing their detractors. To the Mantle, it is an affirmation of their belief, of the divinity of these creatures. To the Blade, it points towards the obvious truth of these people being false gods. Although, deep within, it terrifies both parts to know what they’re actually dealing with here.

“Well, that is certainly…unsettling”, Evennia states quietly.

Hers and some of the others' gazes are turned towards the Ascendants, those six who can constantly see what’s going on. Miljana frowns at the notion and nods, agreeing with the sentiment.  
“Indeed, but this is what we have to face. If we are not decisive and strike now, while we can, there will never be any hope for us. We need to make a stand and show the mursaat that we do not fear them.”

Salma wants to stay strong, but she’s hesitant, shaking her head slightly.  
“But…how are we going to succeed with that? These creatures have such power, and they can go invisible whenever they want. How do you defeat what you cannot perceive?”

Evennia glances towards her and feels a little bit ashamed when she nods.  
“I don’t wish to give up, obviously, but…she has a point.”

They turn to Miljana then, just as they hear her snorting.  
“There’s only one thing you need to do – follow our lead. We will show you how this is done.”  
She suddenly unsheathes the bow from her back and several of the soldiers cannot help but watch the crystal item in awe. They’ve never seen anything like it, nor the others' weapons.  
“Isidro, destroy the gate for us, will you?”

He immediately stands up, raising his hand to his talisman and grins. The expression seems infused with glee.  
“Never thought you’d ask. Let’s do this, shall we?”

While he doesn’t go all the way up towards the entrance, he does move down the slope, followed by some of the others, as they close the proximity to what they’re going to hit. When he’s in position, fire begins to form over his hands and he focuses its essence into his grasp, pulling out more and more of the raging flames until he can launch a ball of it straight towards the appropriate destination.  
As it crashes into the wooden structure, the agitated nature of the fire immediately catches its prey and begins to tear it apart. That gets the attention of the guards inside.

Nakota gets a pat from her companion, which makes the stalker wander after the others and the Shining Blade soldiers follow suit, wanting to find appropriate locations for the attack as well, but the two leaders glance at Miljana, as she remains.  
She rises into a standing position, putting one of her feet at the edge of the precipice and then shifts her hand to the string of the bow. To their surprise, a crystal arrow simply forms out of thin air and she pulls the string back to hold it. Lining up her shot in the direction of one of the mursaat, she launches the projectile with confidence.

A few seconds later, the entire camp descends into silence directly after a groan is heard from one of the mursaat. He looks in disbelief at the arrow sticking out of his shoulder and on the ground lies a few drops of dark yellow, almost orange blood. The sight is a surprise, not just to this one, but to the other two as well. It is the first time they’ve seen this liquid being ripped out of one of their kind in centuries, possibly even millennia.  
It is not just this view which shocks the camp, however, but also the fact that the mursaat goes visible immediately after the impact, and the soldiers all around are uncertain how to react.

Trying to gather the confident calm that they’re used to, the mursaat shift their attention up to the cliff, which also makes a lot of the Shining Blade and White Mantle do the same. On the same ledge, they see a woman with dark brown complexion, long brown hair and sharp green eyes. The crystal bow in her hand shimmers under the light of the sun and her purple cloak flickers in the wind. Despite being only human, to some of those below, the fury in her eyes and the certainty of her pose makes her appear more as the vengeance of Grenth than anything mortal.

Before the mursaat can properly react, she loads another shot, the arrow appearing out of nowhere once more and she fires at the same target as previously. He tries his best to avoid the attack this time, however, flying up into the air and away from where the projectile is meant to hit. She can’t see his expression, due to the mask, but she assumes that her foe feels some kind of smug victory, perhaps even superiority of being above her simplistic tools. It fills her with an almost unending delight as she mentally redirects the arrow in the air and it changes course, following its target without faltering for a second. The shocked groan he emits as the arrow pierces his neck is even more satisfying to her than the last.  
Because of the pain, the injured mursaat is unable to keep himself airborne and plummets to the ground. The position he lands in, on his knees, is one their entire people has become very unused to. To some, the very notion might be a show of submission, of begging for mercy, even if that is not his intention. Unfortunately for him, she has no wish to spare this accursed enemy, loading one last arrow and shoots it right into a gap in his mask, piercing his head and he falls backwards onto the snow.

If it was silent before, the White Mantle are now practically stunned. They’ve witnessed one of their deities, the unbreakable Unseen Ones who stood bravely against the invasion of the charr a few years ago, being felled by a mortal, a simple human. That is impossible, unthinkable.  
“See?”, Miljana shouts out over the area.  
“They are not gods, not invincible! They rise and fall just like we do, and we can slay them like any other foe! They die just as easily as the bastards in white!”

The mursaat duo who remain, obviously wishes to retaliate and get revenge for their fallen comrade, but they are also distracted by the fighting that has now begun at the gates. Despite the previous silence, they are now eager to speak up.  
“Take care of these lowlifes! Do not let them succeed!”

Two large and strange constructs materialize next to the mursaat, floating in the air like their masters, but appears to be made of some kind of rock that is difficult to determine. The colors upon their hides alter in shades of black and maroon. Listening to the mursaat who called out, they head to attack their human foes.  
However, as this occur, one of the mursaat grips the shoulder of the other.  
“Did you not see what just happened to Valemos? We should retreat and gather reinforcements before-“

The second then shoves the hand away and glares at the first one.  
“Are you a coward, Lazarus?! One of our comrades just died! They did the unthinkable and spilled our people’s blood! Only death can be the appropriate response and we shall deliver their souls into the Mists!”  
The uncertain of the two, Lazarus, doesn’t retort and while he doesn’t immediately leave, he refuses to shift his position towards their attackers. At the same time, the first one raises her arm once more.  
“White Mantle, I am Meraan the Resolute, one of the Unseen! Heathens have slain one of our proud people with a cursed weapon! Follow me into battle and let us claim vengeance!”

While some of the knights hesitate, others cheer and prepare to charge after the weird constructs, heading straight for the Ascendants. Despite Meraan’s speech, she doesn’t fly with them, instead remaining somewhat behind, preparing some kind of spell and overseeing the battle, as well as trying to protect herself from Miljana’s flanking attacks.  
When the constructs reach the battlefield, the first thing they do is attack some of the Shining Blade. As one hits a soldier, this person is surprised, not by how strong this creature is, but rather the internal pain that immediately shoots into her, something that makes her fall to the ground and her body begins to twist itself. It seems that a mere touch from these constructs can induce the same Spectral Agony as their masters.

Devona, being at the front, grits her teeth and pushes some of the soldiers nearby out of their vicinity.  
“Don’t get too close! Let me take care of these bastards instead!”  
The closest construct floats forward with surprising speed, but she raises her hammer into the air and parries the hit, something which barely makes a dent on her reinforced weapon.  
“You think you’re gonna damage Dragonheart, do you? Let’s see how you deal with some pain of your own!”

She turns her weapon around, deflects the attack and then kicks the construct with her foot. Despite the strength behind her action, it doesn’t really float very far, but that wasn’t her intention anyhow. All she needed was a second to get a better grip on her hammer. She raises it into a wide swing and lets it fly through the air, emitting a loud battle shout while she does. One single hit, and the construct immediately falters, cracks forming over its otherwise flawless hide and it falls backwards onto the snow and dirt on the ground.  
With confident and firm steps, Devona strides forward, puts her foot down to hold it steady, raises Dragonheart into the air and delivers another heavy blow, which shatters the construct into hundreds of pieces.  
While some see a human standing there, others are sure that flames burn behind her, as if Balthazar himself has entered the battlefield.

Meraan can be heard seething in the back, having practically felt the destruction of her possession, a construct that takes much resources to create, even if they have many.  
“You think you are so clever, human? You believe your strength will win you this battle?! Taste the true power of the mursaat!”

A black and white swirling light suddenly shoots out of her hand, flying forward like a spear and Devona only has time to look up before her chest is pierced by it. The velocity of the spell is enough to make her stagger, being pushed backwards, but instead of the expected reaction, the human only grits her teeth once, as if enduring a short biting stomachache and then stands taller, cracking her neck.  
“Gonna have to do more than that to kill me.”

The sight before her stuns Meraan almost equally to Valemos’ death and she simply hovers in the air. If she had a visible mouth, it would surely be agape.  
“Im…impossible…”

During this moment, while everyone else is shocked by what they witnessed, another person comes running past all of them, almost as if materializing out of thin air. In her hand, she holds two blood red blades and a grin is displayed across her features. She charges and jumps, practically flying towards Meraan, and the mursaat doesn’t even have time to switch location as Sayaki leaps at her.  
“Surprise, asshole!”

While the mursaat would usually not be frightened by such a risky move, seeing as how she is equipped with an invisible magical barrier, she did notice what happened to Valemos and how he was taken down. It fills her with brief fear and a thought that she must flee, but it is too late. The Bloodcursed Fangs digs into her chest and Saya’s body bumps into her, tackling her out of the air and down to the ground. Meraan’s last moments are spent crashing to the earth and sliding through the snow, with the assassin on top of her.  
As Saya leaps off her target, the confidence oozing out of her from such a sudden attack, makes some wonder if Lyssa herself shrouded this woman in illusions.

With the White Mantle being unsure how to react and the Shining Blade prisoners’ hope rising, it eventually erupts, as another person strides forward across the battlefield. His obsidian scythe is like a deadly and decisive wind, cutting them down with dangerous efficiency. When too many appear to be surrounding him, he slams his foot to the ground, releasing shockwave through the earth that knocks them all backwards.  
Amadi turns his gaze towards the cages and then runs a hand along the edge of his blade.

“Merciful gods, grant me the strength and conviction to release these brave men and women, who fight for their land and hold your truth in their hearts.”

Power gathers at the tip and he digs it down into the ground before releasing the magic like a wide arch, infused with earth-based energy that hits each of the cages. Instead of hurting any of those inside, the spell breaks their locks and with joy, the prisoners push the doors to their cages open. Some of them approach the Elonian man, thanking him for his actions and wondering if he has been blessed with such care from Melandru.

The last mursaat on the battlefield, Lazarus, sees how his construct is soon destroyed as well and how many of the White Mantle are either being killed or flee for their lives. The thought obviously goes through his mind too, but can he really leave like this? Can he allow himself to be humiliated in this fashion? What would he even say to the others if he returns?  
This is when he spots how the prisoners are being released, and a thought enters his mind.

“If you take some of ours, then I shall at least return the favor.”

He lifts his arm and prepares a Spectral Agony spell, aiming it at the prisoners, knowing that he’ll at least get to hear some of their anguished screams before he leaves.  
However, just seconds before it is fired, Lazarus sees how the snow on the ground begins to rise, changing itself into several large ice blocks. He doesn’t have the time to stop the spell and when it leaves his grasp, the magical ice is strong enough to thwart it, melting beneath its power, but at least preventing any prisoners from being injured.

From behind one of the broken blocks stands Isidro, spinning around the Lifespring in his hand and an orb of swirling water in the other. He slowly turns his gaze towards Lazarus and smirks.  
“Sorry, did I get in your way, birdie? Just noticed that you tried to hurt some of our innocent and unarmed prisoners. A big strong mursaat with dangerous spells wanting to kill the weak and broken; doesn’t strike me as very godlike, you know?”

He doesn’t give Lazarus any chance to reply, as he instead turns the ice right at the mursaat, changing them into spikes which he shoots forward. To the prisoners, Isidro appears as the vision of Dwayna, protecting the innocent at any cost.  
While his intention is to kill Lazarus, however, his foe teleports away and flees as quickly as he can. In a way, that’s almost as satisfying.

Evennia and Salma have joined the battlefield as well, although remain somewhat at the outskirts of it, watching the events transpire with awe and joy. Two mursaat killed and one fled, many White Mantles downed and most, if not all of their prisoners freed. It went better than they could ever have imagined.  
Taking the opportunity, both of them raises their weapons into the air.

“Brothers and sisters of the Shining Blade, hear us!”, Evennia calls out.

“Rise up and take heart, brave Krytan soldiers”, Salma continues. “The Ascendants are at our side, bringing the blessings of the Five! With it, we shall take back our land!”

Evennia steps into the center with Salma, making sure that as many of them see her as possible, before the leader herself finishes the short speech.  
“The end of the mursaat is nigh, just as foretold in the Flameseeker Prophecies! Our nation and people shall be free once more!”

As the last of the enemies are being beaten back, the camp which previously housed only suffering and despair, is now filled with cheers of hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yes, I like hinting at the notion of my characters being blessed by the Five Gods. I mean, they're Ascendants, so they kinda are. But in this particular instance, it was more to show the underlying belief of the onlookers._
> 
> _And yeah, I just wanted Lazarus to be there as he's kinda the most prominent mursaat in the future and the idea of him being present at the first deaths was quite appealing._


	44. Connected through life

After their first real victory in quite a while, the Shining Blade needed some place to house the people they freed, without being all too exposed. This is why the dwarves invited the group to Thunderhead Keep, the capital city of the Deldrimor and built to operate very similarly to a fortress. The dangers in these parts of the mountain, combined with the long-lasting conflicts they’ve had with many others, especially the Stone Summit faction, has turned them into a very cautious people and one which would rather live in constant vigilance than focus on personal freedoms.  
Miljana and her people may disagree with this mindset, but they respect their ways, as the dwarves have done much for them throughout the past several months.

Being given this kind of hospitality has also created an opportunity for most of them to get a little bit of privacy. In the case of Miljana and Sayaki, this means that they’re both immediately drawn to each other, locking themselves in their room and spending time together.  
This is where they can both be found today, just like the previous few days. The ranger is attempting to examine some of the plans that the Shining Blade has been formulating, but Saya isn't ready to let her be consumed by such boring activities. It's time for a distraction.

Miljana sits on a few pillows on the ground that she has put together as a comfortable spot to rest on while she’s not sleeping. Right now, she’s leaned back in this area, while she reads a few scout reports compiled by Shining Blade agents, along with strategical suggestions posed by the Deldrimor, for how to tackle White Mantle threat. This latter message was distributed to most of the leaders involved in this mission.  
Being too transfixed by what she’s reading, she doesn’t notice how someone crawls closer to her, until she feels an arm being wrapped around her waist and a set of lips collides gently with her neck.

She shuts her eyes, exhaling in enjoyment, but catches herself before it goes too far. No, she can’t give in so quickly.  
“Saya, I’m reading.”

The rogue doesn’t seem to stop, planting brief kisses all the way around the neck, and continues further up to her cheek too.  
“Mm, I noticed.”

“So, you know, I’m kinda busy.”

“Nah, you just think you are.”  
Before Miljana can provide further objections, Saya slips one of her hands in under her girlfriend’s shirt, caressing the firm body underneath and lets it slowly get drawn further up, digging her nails slightly into the skin, but not all too far.  
“You’ve been sitting here and reading that crap for too long.”

“Too long?” Miljana sighs.  
“I only started about an hour ago!”

She gasps slightly as Saya utilizes her teeth to nibble at Miljana’s neck instead, something which increases her pleasure. The rogue grins at that notion.  
“Like I said, too long. You need a distraction, babe.”

Miljana does her best to gather her resolve and rolls her eyes before she redirects them towards Saya.  
“You try to distract me all the time. It’s what you did almost the entirety of yesterday.”

Saya’s grin widens.  
“Yeah, I know. It worked, didn’t it?”, she asks, while wiggling her eyebrows.

Miljana can’t help but groan and divert her gaze elsewhere.  
“You’re hopeless. I’ll never get anything done while you’re doing this!”

“Of course you will. You’ll get me done all night, beautiful.”

“…not what I meant!”

Even though she wishes to struggle, there’s not much resistance she can provide. Saya grabs the papers from her hands, tosses them away and then lifts her legs over Miljana’s, getting into a straddling position and pushes their lips together. The motion pretty much forces them to face each other and as the ranger leans back against her pillows, Saya lifts one hand up towards Miljana’s hair, slipping her fingers through the strands. The other caresses a cheek, doing her best to deepen the kiss.  
Miljana is torn between cherishing what they’re doing, knowing that she loves how they’re allowed to rest and simply indulge themselves for a while in amidst all the horrors of war, and at the same time feeling the distinct notion that she can’t forget how she’s seen as one of the people which the Shining Blade depends upon, that she has to provide all she can to help them succeed with this mission. She wants to curse at Saya for not getting thi,s but…this damn woman knows exactly how to make her feel things that no one else is able to. It’s infuriating and delightful.

Eventually, Miljana gives in, thinking that just one more time can’t be all too harmful, can it? She can get right back into reading this stuff afterwards. Probably.  
Her own hands travel across Saya’s body then, one being placed at the back, while another grips the ass which Saya almost seems to expose for her, making her fondle it. She can pretty much sense how the rogue begins to emanate with an aura of smug victory, smirking into the kiss and pushing her rear end further against the hand. At that time, her own hand strokes more eagerly through Miljana’s hair, and they both know she has a certain fondness for it, being much longer than her own.

However, while they sit there, grinding against one another and attempting to be intimate, they suddenly hear a slight groan from a different section of the room and Saya feels how another hand is placed on her back. No, not a hand, but a paw.  
Saya attempts to ignore it, not wanting to interrupt the lovely moment they’ve got going, but Nakota doesn’t seem to care about what she wants. The Melandru’s stalker soon slips in from the side and pretty much jumps in between them, forcefully separating them.

Saya sighs annoyedly.  
“Nakota! Goddammit.”

Miljana hadn’t even seen it coming and at first, she simply widens her eyes, before she tilts her head back and laughs. She can’t help but lift a hand and stroke a few fingers over her companion’s fur.  
“Hello there, sweetie. A little bit jealous?”

In response, the stalker starts to purr and rubs herself against her companion.  
Saya rolls her eyes.  
“Why does she have to be so annoying? Can’t she get her time with us later?”

Miljana finds these complaints amusing and therefore giggles.  
“Aww, she’s not annoying. She just wants a little bit of attention, that’s all.”  
She briefly glances at Saya and smirks.  
“Actually, the way she tries to take me away from what I’m supposed to do reminds me of someone else.”

Saya folds her arms and looks at her skeptically.  
“Hey, she and I are not the same! I’m hotter than her.”

“Debatable, I think.”

Seeing how the mood has kinda died, Saya sighs and leans back against the wall, but keeps her legs intertwined with Miljana’s.  
“Ugh. You know, when I started checking you out months ago, I didn’t think I’d have to compete for privacy with a damn cat.”

Miljana has already decided to focus more on their companion, scratching the feline’s exposed stomach and caressing her ears.  
“Well, Nakota is a very special cat.”  
Doing her best to show that she wants both of them to embrace her, Nakota makes sure to sprawl out over Saya’s legs too.  
“Besides, when you went for me, you should’ve known what you got yourself into.”

“What?! I wanted a hot ranger! How was I supposed to know that a very demanding and attention-seeking cat was included in that relationship, like some kind of package? I definitely didn’t ask for it.”

Miljana smirks again and leans down to kiss Nakota’s head softly. The stalker purrs even louder.  
“Too bad, because she’ll always be included in anything we do. Well, not _every_ activity, I guess, but in every decision we make in life.”

Despite how annoyed Saya is at this time, Nakota is very cute and the purring is kind of sweet to listen to. She can’t deny that she does like this stupid little cat. This eventually makes Saya give in and she too starts to pat her.  
“Meh. I guess she is kinda adorable and she does seem to realize when we want to be alone for the most part.”

If she looks up and studies Miljana’s expression, she can see how the ranger views her companion in a very affectionate way. Not the same as she does with Saya, but still important.  
“I know, but you shouldn’t really be that surprised. Nakota understands my feelings very well and can read the situation. That said, occasionally, she just wants a bit of warmth as well, especially up here.”

Saya arches her brow skeptically.  
“Uh, what? That’s kinda funny. Why would she need our warmth, when she’s got all this nice fur? Surely, she can’t be freezing, can she? Feels like we should be asking for heat from her.”

Miljana shakes her head.  
“No, it doesn’t work like that. Check out her fur again, run your hands through it. It’s not really that thick, is it? Nakota’s body hasn’t fully adapted to this kind of environment.  
You have to remember that she grew up in the pleasant and temperate forest of Regent Valley, not the extreme cold of the Shiverpeaks. She's used to the occasional winter weather, not a constant one. She can do pretty well in comparison to if we just took off all our clothes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she can handle it without problems.”

There’s not much for Saya to protest with, as Miljana is right, something the rogue hadn’t thought about. She isn’t really an expert on animals in general, though.  
“Mm, guess you’re right. Well, at least Nakota and I agree on something then; the climate on this mountain is horrible.”

This makes Miljana chuckle.  
“See? You two are more alike than you think.”

Well, to a certain point, Saya is willing to admit this as a fact, but she doesn’t want to take it too far.  
“You know, I don’t think we’ve really discussed your little kitty all too much. I just kinda took her for granted, seeing as how you two have stayed together since I met you. How long have you been like this? Did you grow up together?”

Miljana smiles, currently moving her hand along Nakota’s side, while also making sure that the feline is resting as comfortably as possible. She would feel if there was anything wrong.  
“No, we didn’t. I mean, she’s not _that_ old.  
We have been together for quite a few years now, though, and we are very close.”  
She takes a deep breath, deciding to delve into some of her memories, of a gentler time when Ascalon was not simply a painful reminder of the present.  
“The stalkers in Regent Valley have always been very close to my clan, and since the first generation who immigrated into Ascalon arrived and got settled, we have tamed them as our companions. Many of us grow up in generations together, to create a connection.”

Saya looks at her curiously.  
“You raise them?”

“Yes, we did. Well, not all of them, but quite a few. This is why a lot of people thought of us when they saw Melandru’s stalkers. I also suspect this is why many believed we may have been ‘blessed by Melandru’ too.  
In any case, I met Nakota for the first time when she was still a cub, and I’ve raised her ever since. She was the first animal I ever bonded with.”

Whether she hears or understands this or not, the stalker suddenly snuggles a bit closer to Miljana, seemingly enjoying herself immensely. It makes Saya smile.  
“Well, you’re definitely a cute couple, I won’t dispute that.”

“Besides, I’ve gotten this feeling from her that she has…changed slightly as well. I believe her presence inside the Hall of Ascension was no coincidence. She might have reached Ascension, just as we have.”

Saya hadn’t actually thought about that, even though she obviously saw how the stalker combated a doppelganger of her own. It makes her laugh now.  
“Shit, you’re right. I guess she really is a special kitty after all then, huh?”  
Nakota’s tail is moving back and forth a bit now as well, probably out of the excitement from all the care she’s getting, really seeming to revel in the attention. Saya makes sure to pat her some more, but also smirks as she considers another aspect.  
“Sometimes, I do wonder if we’re not spoiling her, though.”


	45. Last Stand

The assistance and hospitality of the Deldrimor dwarves have been quite a boon for the Shining Blade during the past few weeks. Not just due to the safety of the Thunderhead Keep, but also because from within those walls, they can send out operatives across the mountain and have some place to return to after conducting various guerilla attacks on their enemies. Unfortunately, while this has been useful for the war overall, they always expected that the advantage would not last forever.

One late evening, as the Ascendant group sits together with the leadership of the Shining Blade and several dwarves, enjoying themselves with drinks, good food and the occasional song, there’s a certain feeling in the air. It’s as if something is about to occur, like the wait for thunder after a lightning strike. Some of them ignore this sensation, while others do their best to pretend they can, but it’s not possible to dismiss it. The calm before the storm is ending, and a descent is the only way out.

Just as some dwarves are about to start a new song, and bring out another barrel of ale, that’s when they hear it; bells in the distance, and drums being hit. The intention is not for it to be a pleasant noise, and that’s not what those who hear it feel either.  
Miljana furrows her brow as she grips her mug a bit tighter.  
“What is that?”

Some of the dwarves have gone silent, grim and almost pale.  
“The warning bells”, one of them says. “They’re coming.”

“Who?”

From another corner of the table, Devona pushes her chair back and rises, her eyes drawn to their hosts.  
“The Keep is about to be assaulted, isn’t it?”

There’s no response from the dwarves, but none is needed. It’s apparent on their faces what they would say, which makes every other person feel tense.  
Before anyone else can get a word out, the doors to the hall are suddenly pushed open, revealing a familiar sight. Two people wander inside, with the one at the front being an old bald dwarf with a long white beard, wearing a heavy grey armor with red highlights. Behind him is a more well-dressed human, definitely younger, holding a familiar staff-shaped item in his hands.

“King Jalis, Vizier Khilbron”, Miljana exclaims.

Jalis Ironhammer, King of the Deldrimor dwarves, strides forward with heavy steps, holding a large hammer in one of his hands, which he now rests on the ground.  
“I am glad to see you’re all still up”, he proclaims, his voice grave and firm. “I am sure you can guess what’s going on.”

Dev nods, already preparing Dragonheart for what needs to be done.  
“We’re under attack, aren’t we?”

“You’re correct, my tall friend, and not just from anyone. The White Mantle and their mursaat masters have brought an army, intent on breaking our defenses once and for all.”  
Hearing the word ‘army’ being said, immediately brings a slight bit of fear and concern into several hearts. So far, they have rarely been engaged in large-scale battles. The Shining Blade can’t really hold out against anything like that; they don’t have the troops.  
“Unfortunately, they do not stand alone, for the Stone Summit have joined them. My cowardly cousin, Dagnar Stoneplate, have chosen the side of cultists and murderers, just as I assumed that he would.”

Miljana and Devona both frown at the name, instantly recalling an event months ago, when they ran into the leader of the Stone Summit dwarves. For them, his name will always be a foul one, as it was his hand which killed their beloved Prince Rurik.  
Vizier Khilbron inclines his head, and proceeds to explain further.  
“The White Mantle does not march without their masters this time. Some mursaat have been spotted openly, without hiding through their invisible spells. It is feasible to assume that they will stay in the back, but their presence is likely another element to frighten us.”

Jalis frowns and snorts.  
“But we shall not let ourselves be taken by this fear.  
Humans – Ascalonians and Krytans alike – we are asking for your aid. During the past several months, we have honored our alliance and helped your people during many important disasters. Now, we ask you to return the favor.  
If you wish to repay us for all that we have done for you, then stand with us and push these invaders back. Should we succeed, I have a feeling that we can finally turn the tide on our joint enemy. What say you?”

There’s no hesitation when each of the Ascendants rises from their chairs, and Miljana grips Truthseeker, before she approaches Jalis.  
“You don’t need to ask for it, King Ironhammer, because we would never turn you down. You helped us when we left Ascalon and you have protected the Shining Blade during our flight from the White Mantle. Today, we shall repay the mursaat for what they have done against Kryta and take revenge for Prince Rurik’s death.”

From another chair, Evennia also gets up.  
“The Shining Blade stands with you as well, King Ironhammer. It is our hope that the Deldrimor and Kryta will be able to continue our good relationship in the future, and we can do no less than what you have done for us so far.”

While it’s a serious situation, Jalis still manages to smile in relief as he nods.  
“Thank you. I knew you were all as brave as I had hoped.”

Most of the Shining Blade stands up with Evennia as well, but she looks less sure about herself when another person joins them.  
“Salma? What are you doing?”

The Princess looks towards Evennia and grabs her own weapon, which was resting on a table.  
“I’m joining you, of course.”

Evennia hesitates, not wanting to protest out loud and therefore tries to step a bit closer.  
“Are you sure you wish to be there? This won’t be an easy fight and…well, they know who you are. If they try to target you…”

Salma looks up, searching her mentor’s eyes and then frowns.  
“Then I’ll make sure to shove my blade into their chests.”

“Salma…”

“No!”, she exclaims, getting the attention from some of the others.  
“I know you just want to protect me, Evennia, but those days are over now. I need to be there, with the rest of our people. I want to let not just them, but the White Mantle see that I am nothing like my father, nor am I afraid to fight for Kryta. I will not be held back any longer. I owe our people that much, and I owe our dwarven allies the same.  
If their King will be with his people at the front lines, then so shall I be with mine.”

Evennia looks at her, trying to locate something which she can work with to help change the young Princess’ mind, but finds nothing. She has decided what she wants to do, and that is all they will get.  
The Shining Blade leader sighs heavily.  
“Fine, if that is what you want.”

From the side, they can hear a chuckle from Saya.  
“I like your attitude, Princess. I have a feeling you’re gonna be a great leader someday.”

Miljana smiles and nods in agreement.  
“There’s no doubt about it.”  


* * *

  
Battle shouts, clashing metal, screams of pain and fear. The battle of Thunderhead Keep is like few fights that Miljana has been part of, and it reminds her all too much of her time back in Ascalon, combating the charr. The only difference this time, perhaps, is the type of enemy they have to struggle against.

As humans and dwarves collide both outside and within the Keep’s walls, blood and limbs are spilt across the snow, painting the Shiverpeaks in an eerie red. It’s not a color Miljana is unused to, but one she wishes she wouldn’t have to see in such abundance. She wonders how long it has been since the mountain has experienced a truly great battle. The last Guild War, perhaps? She never witnessed those events herself, but heard the terrible stories. Why is it that humans are so drawn to fighting each other?

At this time, Miljana stands on top of the wall, as expected, raining down death upon their attackers. Each arrow sent down from Truthseeker finds its mark, with differing amount of success. While she should feel bad for all the damage she’s causing in general, she can’t help it in this case. The White Mantle and the Stone Summit deserve what they’re getting from her, at least in her mind, after all they have done to cause harm. It is the only response she can truly muster.  
Due to her secured position, it’s virtually impossible for most of the dwarves and humans to take her down as well. Some of the elementalists and rangers on the opposite side make the attempt, but she quickly disappears down into cover while that occurs, and then jumps back up to return the favor.

After the battle has been raging for what feels like hours, the mursaat seem to realize who is among their foremost obstacles to success, and decide that it’s time to properly target her.  
At first, she doesn’t really see what’s going on, until a flickering light becomes apparent in the corner of her eyes. She quickly leaps backwards, getting away from what she believes to be an attack coming at her. Thankfully, she has already prepared another arrow and immediately launches it. The projectile flies up and pierces the chest of the mursaat who teleported past the Keep’s defenses, stumbling backwards. Unfortunately, it does not seem like it was their intention to be the one who shall take her down, as another person is dropped off, before the mursaat teleports out again.

When Miljana nocks another arrow, a human in gleaming heavy armor, wielding a large mace and shield in his hands, is unveiled for her. She raises her eyes up to his face, before they widen in shock.  
“Confessor Dorian?!”

The leader of the White Mantle, wearing an armor very similar to the knights of the same Order, seems so different from the last time she saw him. That feels like a lifetime ago now, and everything has changed.  
He frowns sharply at her.  
“Miljana Vlasic. I have come to bring an end to your misery.”

He strides forward, swinging his mace, forcing the ranger to duck and retreat. She will have to put her hopes on spotting a weakness which she can exploit.  
“You are the only misery here, you bastard! You lied to us!”

“There were no lies, other than the foolish words you believed in when you encountered these bandits! When I first laid my eyes on you and your friends, I always knew that you would become trouble in some sense, for we could not trust Ascalonians. Never would I have believed you’d end up being a much worse nuisance!”

Miljana is obviously faster than him, which is not just due to wearing less armor. Unfortunately, there are very few gaps she can aim for, and he is also quick to close any other holes. Could he have been instructed beforehand how to specifically fight archers?  
“I’m glad to hear that. I hope you enjoyed our little gift to your masters. Their corpses burned nicely.”

Dorian unleashes a rage-filled shout, charges forth and tries to hunt her down, which she avoids, but doesn’t get much time to retaliate. She might have to switch to the blade.  
“Do you realize what you have done, you fool?! Our entire plan is in jeopardy, our bright future for Kryta and humans overall being threatened, just because you cannot understand what you have been witness to!”

She grits her teeth, feeling a strong sensation to punch him across the face, but doesn’t get the opportunity. Not yet, anyway.  
“You are a despicable man, Confessor! You and your group of cultists are insane murderers! It shames my very spirit for ever having trusted you.”

“Ashamed?! You could have had it all, you idiot! We placed the glorious truth of the Unseen and our future before you, and you spat in our faces!”

“You want to enslave us all! How is that glorious?! How is that a future anyone would ever accept?!”

Their shouting match has received quite a bit of attention from some of the other people fighting nearby. While they can’t do much to help out, due to most of them being down at the ground or engaged in battle of some kind, either side are intrigued by the words spoken.  
Unfortunately, due to their proximity, Miljana is constantly on the defensive and can’t launch attacks of her own. Even though Truthseeker is such a magnificent weapon, it isn’t meant for melee combat. During one of her faltering moments, when she is considering what to do instead, Dorian gets to her. His mace misses, but it was a feint, and his shield comes flying towards her, knocking her in the chest. She drops her bow, stumbles backwards and falls to the ground with a painful groan, losing her chance to take him down, which he tries to seize upon.

She reaches out to grab one of her swords instead, but lets out another shout of agony as he steps on her arm, pushing it to the ground. Miljana glares up in defiance at him, seeing how he’s raising his mace.  
“This is not just for Valemos, but Hablion as well. May you linger in torment within the Mists for the deaths you have caused, heathen.”

His weapon moves further up, preparing for a backhand strike, while Miljana herself starts to panic. She looks around desperately, searching for whatever opportunity she can get. Maybe she can trip him over or try to reach for one of her smaller weapons? There won’t be time for that, but maybe she can block the mace with her arm. Losing it would be devastating, but it would surely be better than death, no?  
Thankfully, she won’t need to consider any of it, as Dorian’s assault is hindered when he groans in anguish. Something sharp has stabbed his side from behind.

He is forced to step off Miljana, trying to whirl around and remove any attackers. To his mixed reaction of shock and glee, he comes face to face with another familiar individual, who he has actually been searching for.  
“Well well, if it isn’t the pitiful royal brat. Never did I think I’d be given the chance to see you here on this battlefield”, he says, his voice somewhat strained. “But you do fight as cowardly as your father, at least.”

Salma glares up at him, having pulled out her bloodied dagger from his body, she shifts into some kind of battle stance.  
“It seems we both try to use unfair advantages, unless you consider ambushes on archers dressed in giant plates of steel to be how a warrior should fight.”

Dorian laughs manically at her suggestion, not really caring about the insult.  
“I didn’t think I’d get to kill you myself, but I thank you for giving me the opportunity!”  
Even though he’s injured, he uses all his strength to lift his mace and swing it against his new foe. Salma is not unused to battle, though, and while she’s not great at blocking or parrying, she does know how to dodge.  
“Your father tried to ruin our country and it will be an honor to end your threat to true Krytan freedom, once and for all!”

Salma jumps away, just barely avoiding the large heap of metal being swung at her, realizing that she’s not exactly the best duelist.  
“You are as delusional as your masters, Confessor, and I will never allow you to succeed!”

“You won’t be around to stop us, heathen!”

Even while injured, Dorian does have the upper hand against a foe like Salma, who has yet to be trained to fight in open battles like this. She’s too accustomed to ambushes and guerilla strikes. Dorian on the other hand, has clearly prepared himself for these occasions. Fortunately, Salma does not fight alone, and while she helped her comrade earlier, it is now time for that debt to be repaid.  
During one of his assaults, the Confessor’s offensive is stopped by another blade digging right into the exposed parts of his skin close to his neck, reaching all the way to his collar bone. He erupts in pain, but before he can do much about it, Miljana slips an arm around his throat, kicking at his knees to get him down.

Dorian groans and flails with his arms, which makes him drop his weapon. Miljana immediately turns her sight to Salma and nods.  
“Finish him.”

Salma meets the vengeful look of Miljana, clearly seeing that the ranger would wish to do the deed, but the Princess is thankful to be given the chance. They must see the future regent do it on her own.  
She grits her teeth, grips her dagger tighter and launches herself forward. Finding an exposed part of his armor, one which can’t deflect such an immediate penetration, she stabs the blade directly into his chest, close to his heart.  
The Confessor’s eyes widen in shock and any struggle evaporates. No shout is emitted, only a sharp gasp, before blood runs down over his chest and out from his mouth.

Instead of waiting for his slow death, the two women grab him together, lifting his body up and tosses him over the side of the wall. He falls down several meters, landing right in the middle of a group of White Mantle.  
After it’s done, Salma puts her foot down on the wall and calls out.  
“Confessor Dorian has been slain, a sign for the future of all his ilk! The White Mantle will fall, just like the rest of their false gods! Kryta will be free from their tyranny and the Shining Blade will see to it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I almost skipped this battle in my initial plan for this story, before I realized that it would be pretty cool to have a showdown, not just between Miljana and Confessor Dorian, but also give more space for Salma to act. I'm quite fond of giving the Princess a more prominent role here._


	46. Embers of heart

With the battle for Thunderhead Keep having concluded and the Shining Blade, as well as their Deldrimor allies, being the victors, the mountain seems to have calmed down. But even as people wishes to celebrate, there are still a lot of things to deal with in the aftermath. Bodies litter much of the ground, the snow is stained by a large amount of blood and there are wounded which still need help to recover.

One from this latter group, who’s sitting a bit on his own in a corner, is Amadi. His breathing is slower and more pained than he would like to admit. The fighting had gone well for the most part, but he had slipped up towards the end and gotten himself quite severely injured across his chest and left leg. His wounds have been bandaged, but they don’t really do much for the agony. However, he is not one to complain and therefore tries his best to simply bear it in silence.  
Even as most would assume that he is not in need of anything further, there is one particular individual that can see through this carefully constructed veil, one who has been observing him enough to understand.

Isidro has been successfully helping several wounded so far, due to his ability to heal with the aid of the Lifespring. He could move on to other people at this time and make their recovery speed up as well, but his concern draws him towards the location of the dervish.  
There’s a small fire burning nearby, on its way towards a slow death, as it has been going for quite a while. Isidro finds a few extra pieces of wood, tosses them onto the fire and then utilizes his magic to increase their strength, which should make them last longer. After this, he continues his approach.

“Hey, Amadi, you okay?”

Due to his current situation, Amadi isn’t very attentive and therefore wasn’t particularly prepared for anyone to join him, much less Isidro. He tries his best to hide the truth, however, and clears his throat to keep his voice steady.  
“I am fine”, he says, somewhat strained.

The elementalist folds his arms, watching the other man skeptically.  
“You don’t look fine.”

“Looks can deceive. At any rate, I can handle anything that I have been dealt. You should go and care for some of the more injured soldiers in the city.”

Isidro keeps staring at him for a while longer, until he offers a small smile, shaking his head.  
“You know, you’re not much of a liar.”

Perhaps he should’ve foreseen how impossible it would be to convince Isidro of anything else.  
“That’s actually incorrect. I have been told that my ability to hide the truth is quite good, but I believe your observational skills are even better.”

Isidro chuckles.  
“Well, maybe I’ve just been around you for too long to buy any cheap tricks.”

“Hmm, possibly. I did not know such things could come in time. I was still able to fool some companions I had for years, back in Elona.”

It’s probably best if Isidro doesn’t mention the amount of time he has been watching Amadi.  
“Anyway, I could provide a bit of healing for you. It’ll hasten your recovery somewhat, but most of all, it will help with the pain.”

It is a kind request and not one he probably should reject but, at the same time, is he truly the only one who needs aid?  
“Do not worry for me, Isidro. I can handle this. You should focus on some of the others instead, those with worse injuries.”

Isidro keeps coming closer, his arms still folded.  
“I will, but not yet. I’m gonna go around and help out as many as I can along the way later, but I’m here now, so, might as well fix you first. Don’t worry, my water skills have gotten much better, I swear!”

“I thank you for your concern, but honestly, it is not needed.”

Both of them want to be as polite as possible, while still refusing to give in. One of them is going to have to push a bit harder.  
“And what, you’re just going to sit here and let your wounds fester? I understand why you want to hold on and prove to yourself that you are strong enough to endure this, but suffering is not always strength, Amadi.”

“Well, I-“

“And besides, as the one with the most knowledge of how to treat people’s wounds, I think you better trust in my assessment more than your own. Not saying you have to, but as the best healer in this town, I’m telling you that this isn’t going to be good for you in the long run. Especially not if we have to continue fighting soon.”

Amadi takes a deep breath and looks up, searching Isidro’s expression. It seems pretty clear that there are few things he could say at this point which would change the course of this conversation. It makes him sigh.  
“You are not going to surrender, are you? Very well, I suppose I shall have to accept your aid.”

Isidro smiles and nods as he moves to sit down.  
“Thought so. Now then, let’s see what we’ve got.”

With the rather short distance between them now, Amadi suddenly realizes something which could alter the situation somewhat.  
“If you truly wish to provide the most amount of aid, I may need to remove the clothes on the upper part of my body. My chest took the worst hit, you see.”

Isidro widen his eyes at first and then clears his throat.  
“Oh, I uh, I see. Well, heh, don’t worry, I’m always gentle with my favorite patients”, he jokes, hoping that it hides some of the excitement which has now entered him.

While he tries to offer Amadi some help, the dervish turns it down and instead removes the shirt on his own, before leaning back against the wall he has been resting by. With his naked skin revealed to the elementalist, Isidro has to swallow and calm himself down somewhat. He hasn’t really sat this close to the other man like this before.  
Amadi is quite a well-trained person, making his chest and arms a fairly appealing image, something which Isidro have wanted to find himself close to for quite some time now, but hasn’t really dared. Well, the image is somewhat diminished due to the fact that the dervish is currently injured, but that only infuses Isidro with more compassion.

Opening the bottle which houses the magical water, Isidro guides it through his spells to wash out across Amadi’s body. In a way, this experience can be fairly intimate, as Isidro’s mind is connected to the liquid, in order to find any cracks that must be closed to support the process. However, it’s not quite the same as him touching someone, of course, as this is something which might be viewed as a spiritual journey instead, not quite as enjoyable. Not in Isidro’s mind, anyway.  
He does make sure to move slowly and gently, though, which is good for Amadi and forces Isidro to stay for a bit longer. The dervish himself can’t help but eventually close his eyes, as the experience is more soothing than he had expected. Isidro’s own eyes roam freely over the sight before him, more than what is needed, or what he would be willing to admit. Amadi doesn’t mention it at this time, but he is more than aware of the attention he’s receiving, an aspect he welcomes. If he hadn’t enjoyed it, he would have told the other man to leave long ago.

Feeling how the silence is getting kinda awkward, Isidro tries to find some way to break it. He has always been a bit of a talker anyhow.  
“So, uh, I watched you out there on the battlefield earlier. You were pretty impressive.”

Amadi snorts slightly.  
“Was I? Not sure if I can really agree. Getting injured like this was foolish. I should not have allowed myself to lose focus.”

Isidro looks momentarily unsure.  
“Hey, don’t be too harsh on yourself. The others said that you pretty much made a sacrifice to help another. Few people would do that.”

“Perhaps, but if I had paid more attention in the first place, no sacrifice would have been needed.”

“Well, we can’t all be perfect. Besides, this battle was different from most of those we’ve been in so far, and you can’t really expect everything to go well the first time.”

Amadi shakes his head.  
“It was not my first time in a battle like this. Remember, I was in the Order of the Sunspears. We fought against all sorts of threats, and we had the numbers to push back even the fiercest foes. I have been involved in stopping several corsair raids, for example.”

This is something that Isidro hadn’t thought about, as he doesn’t always consider what Amadi has experienced back in his home. Perhaps he should remember that for the future.  
For now, though, he smiles, hoping to cheer the dervish up somehow.  
“Ah, I see. So that’s why I felt like I was seeing Balthazar himself out there on battlefield, eh? Wondered if I was hallucinating, but now it actually makes sense.”

Glancing up at Amadi, he actually gets to see a small smile forming on dervish’s lips.  
“Your exaggerated compliments are…appreciated.”

Shortly after that, Amadi’s eyes meet his, and while it is probably meant as just a brief look, this one lingers. For several moments they stare at each other, finding a connection within that they hadn’t anticipated and Isidro forgets the world around them. In fact, it's so impactful that he doesn’t initially notice how his left hand has descended and rests on Amadi’s thigh. It’s not until Amadi briefly breaks the shared gaze, that Isidro follows to where he’s looking, gasps, and then pulls it back.  
“Shit. Uh, s-sorry about that. I erm…didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Amadi tries to return to what they were doing, but realizes that he sort of inadvertently screw it up somehow. It makes him hesitate, unsure how to save it, but he does his best.  
“I’m not. I am never uncomfortable when you are here.”

* * *

  
In another part of the dwarven fortress-city, Evennia wanders around among some of the other wounded. Like many of those on the battlefield, she did not walk out of it unscathed, which is why she currently moves with a bandaged arm. Still, it doesn’t prevent her from strolling, thankfully, because she is looking for another individual, someone important to her.  
It takes several minutes, but eventually, she finds who she was searching for up on one of the walls.

Devona stands with her arms folded, eyes staring out across the vast landscape before them, with her trusted Dragonheart resting not too far from her feet. What she’s viewing is not all too difficult to guess, as the fleeing White Mantle troops who survived can still be spotted in the distance, something that brings glee to some, but worry to others.  
“Busy feeling victorious, are we?”

Dev blinks when she hears the voice and glances over her shoulder to see Evennia approaching with a faint smile on her lips.  
“Oh, hey. Well, sort of, I guess.”

Evennia wanders close enough for her to wrap a hand around Dev’s, entwining their fingers.  
“I’ve been looking for you since the battle ended. I was actually worried you might’ve ran after them, just to make sure not a single mantle escaped.”

It brings a brief smile even to Dev, but it doesn’t last for very long.  
“Heh, well, it’s not a bad idea.”

“Actually, it kinda is. You shouldn’t try to wander off alone out there, what with all the beasts and the increased chance of White Mantle ambushes from now on. They’ll definitely want revenge.”

While Dev shakes her head, she still appears to be somewhat distant.  
“Don’t worry, I don’t have any specific plans to pursue them. Not gonna squander the possibilities we’ve built now.”

It would not be correct to say that they’re arguing right now, as it’s too light-hearted, and while Evennia might want to continue, it’s clear that Dev’s mind is somewhere else, which immediately gets her attention.  
“Is something wrong?”

Dev shifts her gaze back to Evennia, giving the Shining Blade leader a moment to study her, seeing the hesitation and thoughtfulness displayed.  
“Not really.”

“That’s not true, Dev. You can’t fool me that easily. I’ve seen pretty much every kind of expression you can pull at this point, so I don’t buy it. What is it?”

While one might call this a fairly serious situation, Dev can’t help but smile somewhat shyly when she considers the implication.  
“You've been watching me that much, huh?”

This seems to amuse Evennia as well, as she places the other hand at her own hip.  
“Well, there’s a lot to look at, so, why wouldn’t I?”

Dev clears her throat, not quite able to meet the sly gaze. Perhaps it would be unreasonable to not tell her after all this.  
“I just-…I’m worried about someone, that’s all.”

“Oh? Who?”

“My mother.”

Ah, so that explains why Dev is looking in this specific direction as well. It leads towards Kryta.  
“Hmm, I see. Now that I think about it, you haven’t really been speaking much of her at all.”

Dev snorts and shakes her head, resting her free hand at the wall.  
“Yeah, I know. It’s not really that strange why I wouldn’t. I never know what to say about her.”

“Why not? You talk about your father all the time. Is it really that different?”

Seeing how Dev’s brow furrows, and her hand grips the wall a bit tighter, it’s pretty clear that this is vastly dissimilar.  
“It is, very much so.”

Evennia swallows at first, realizing that she’s on thin ice. She doesn’t want to say the wrong thing here, either disturbing her partner somehow or upsetting her.  
“Well…I’m sorry if I’m pushing you somehow. I don’t mean to. Guess I’m simply curious about you in general.”

Dev tries to make an effort to calm herself, looking at Evennia with a softened gaze. She knows that this woman is only trying to look out for her.  
“It’s alright, I get that. I could explain further, but it’s not very pleasant.”

“Well, I’ve dealt with unpleasant situations for years. I’m not going to shy away from them when spoken by someone I care about.”

The last few words makes Dev smile once more and she diverts her eyes out towards the landscape again, beginning her journey into the depths of her memories.  
“My mother’s name is Veyala. She and I, we…we’ve never really gotten along. This has been the truth since my childhood, but it got much worse later.  
Ever since my father died, we’ve been kinda split, torn in our emotions. Part of that is likely because of how she took out her grief against me and I suppose I did the same in return. He was important to both our lives. We blamed each other and therefore, we could not find an understanding. Our family was broken.”

“How old were you when he died?”

“Five.”

Evennia’s eyes widen in surprise.  
“So young and you remember him that well?”

Dev shakes her head slightly.  
“Not really. I only have one clear image of him in my mind - the day he left to fight in his last battle. Still, I heard a lot of stories of him from others, and I think the aftermath of his death is what has shaped me and my relationship to him as well.”

“I guess that would make sense, especially if it affected your mother.”

Dev nods briefly, agreeing with that assessment. Shortly after, she snorts, looking both amused and bitter at the same time.  
“It’s kinda funny, almost stupid, that I’m now worrying about her after all this time.”

“You took her with you to Kryta then?”

“Yeah, I did.”  
She hesitates, grimacing slightly.  
“I…I don’t know why, really. Part of me wanted to leave her in Ascalon and never see her again, but…I couldn’t. Somehow, I felt like my father’s disappointment would’ve lingered if I ever attempted anything like that.”  
She sighs, raising her hand to run it over her forehead instead.  
“And now she’s out there, in the middle of Mantle territory, back in our settlement. I haven’t seen her for months and I’m afraid what might happen to her.”

Evennia realizes what a precarious situation this is. Dev is obviously very torn, both hating and loving her parent, perhaps the only family she has left. Well, that’s not entirely true, as she and Miljana are practically sisters in the way they interact. Still, her mother is obviously important.  
“You don’t need to worry. I’m sure she’s fine. They have no reason to target civilians.”

Dev shakes her head.  
“I’m not so sure. The Mantle knows who we are now, they know where we’re from. What if they decide to target those who matter to us? They might unleash their rage on our families, to draw us out or to spread doubt. Others have done similar things in the past. The charr certainly did. If that happens to her...if I lose her as well…”

She can’t finish the sentence, can’t allow herself to think along those lines. Evennia feels a similar sensation and that’s why she raises a hand, placing it on Dev’s cheek and turns her towards the rebel leader.  
“Listen to me, Dev – don’t worry about it. I know you can’t help it, but make an effort not to dwell on these things.  
If anything, I’m sure that the people in that settlement will be smart enough not to draw the Mantle’s attention. The Shining Blade have always made sure that we do not involve civilians in our plans, in order to let our enemies know that we act alone and won’t endanger anyone else.  
If you continue to worry about this, it will fester and you will become even more unbalanced. You need to trust that we’re doing the right thing and that the gods are on our side.”

The touch, along with Evennia’s gentle words, does bring her some warmth, a sense of safety, despite not being entirely certain if she trusts them. She’s thankful to have them, at the very least.  
“Are you sure that will help? What if-“

Evennia smiles, squeezing Dev’s hand a bit tighter.  
“I do. I have always believed this as well, and that’s the main reason I’ve been able to continue resisting the Mantle’s lies. We have to hold onto hope and trust in ourselves, or all this will be for naught.”

Even if it is a lie, Dev takes these things to heart, realizing that she can’t give up, especially not now when victory is in sight.  
As Evennia moves back against the wall, Dev allows herself to forget about the possibilities and leans down to lock her lips with those of the other woman, submerging herself in the comfort of affection and passion.


	47. Scorch undone

A twisted, jagged landscape, made of rocks, boiling lava and fire, that oozes up from every portion of the soil. Everywhere they look is like a nightmare, inescapable and inhospitable.  
This barren region is known to most as the ‘Ring of Fire islands’, which has certainly earned both its name and its reputation. The scalding hot lava that pours out from several parts of the ground increases the heat many times over, instantly vaporizing any saltwater that touches it into steam.  
To stand upon its surface is to be fairly lonely, in terms of company, for there are no settlements here. Who would attempt to do such a thing anyway? Humans would not survive for long, nor would anyone else. To even get here in the first place, the group had to utilize a magical portal which was set up by Khilbron, a contraption that could quickly transport them. Although the journey may have been swift, it was not any less unpleasant. Using magic to get to a location like this is something all of them are rather unused to, especially at such an extreme distance.

While the Shining Blade has created a small temporary camp for those soldiers who accompanied the Ascendants, they are not alone. A few brave dwarves from the north chose to join them as well, wanting to help their allies finish the fight against their enemy. If they don’t succeed here, the war will only persist.  
At this time, Miljana stands in the outskirts of the camp, with a few of her companions being nearby. She and Nakota are both trying to get a better understanding for the landscape from afar, and figure out what plans they should pursue after this. However, she can’t claim to be unperturbed by the heat around them, and every so often, she has to raise her arm and wipe the sweat off her brow.

“Damn”, she eventually says, “this place has certainly earned its name.”

Nakota sits next to her and emits a slight growl, almost like she would be muttering in agreement.  
Devona is nearby, although like the rest, she has tossed off a lot of the heavier garbs they were wearing earlier. For now, she’s only donning a short-sleeved shirt and some smoother leggings, letting the armor be until she actually needs to utilize it. At least Evennia gets a fairly good view.  
“Yeah, I agree. How can anything like this even exist? You’d think only Balthazar’s realm would be this hot.”

Off to the side, they can see how Saya lies down on the ground, groaning in misery.  
“…this place is fucking horrible! It’s killing me. Or am I dead already? Pretty sure I am, and I’ve somehow descended into the worst pit of the Mists.”

Miljana smirks and rolls her eyes.  
“You’re not dead, dear. I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t be feeling all this heat then.”

“How would you know? Have you been to the Mists?”

“Well…no, but-“

“Yeah, exactly! Mark my words, Khilbron got us all killed and now we’ll never leave this wretched abyss.”

At this time, a trio of other people approaches, including Evennia, Salma and Khilbron. The first out of these three looks at the rogue on the ground skeptically.  
“Well, I can see that morale is high among the rest of you.”

“Cut me some slack”, Saya tells her.  
“I’m not used to this ridiculous kind of temperature!”

Amadi sits on the ground as well, his legs folded. He seems much less disturbed by the climate here, although not completely composed.  
“How is this different from the Crystal Desert?”

She turns to look at him with severely skeptical eyes.  
“…you’re kidding, right? I mean, yeah, that place was hot, but this island is literally _on fire_.”

“True, but we are not sitting on any actual fire.”

“Sure fucking feels like it!”

Isidro is standing not too far away, currently without a shirt on, and chuckles.  
“You seem to hate any place we ever go to, though.”

“Can you blame me? I mean, why can we never go someplace nice? Why not stop at some pleasant, fairly tepid beaches or a moderately cool forest or hang out in a lazy small town or something?  
Oh no, we can’t have that! Gotta travel to the most extreme places in Tyria. From the barren desert, to the freezing mountains and now a scorching island. I mean, it’s called the _RING OF FIRE_. Did no one else get any warning bells with that name? Just me?”

Most of them start to laugh, while Isidro walks up to her, opens the bottle to the Lifespring and pours it over her.  
“Maybe this will silence you.”

In reaction to this, even though it washes out all over her face, Saya groans, almost in pleasure, from the sensation of it all.  
“Oh…oh gods. That is…amazing. You’re my hero, Isidro.”

Isidro smirks and shakes his head.  
“It’s magical water, so it won’t last as long as the real thing, but at least it’ll shut you up for now.”

Miljana smiles and folds her arms while she leans back against the wall of a large boulder, glad that they can still manage to joke around, despite all they’ve been through.  
“Well, I have to admit, we have certainly chosen a lot of horrible locations this year and this island is probably the worst. It should get some kind of award.”

Dev shakes her head amusedly.  
“Or maybe we should. I mean, we’re the ones who have experienced all of this.”

The other trio who watches the conversation, seem to take their reactions fairly well. It’s not like they can complain about their heroes wanting to express their dismay.  
“It is true that the terrain of this island is intense in comparison to most”, Khilbron agrees, “but it is not without merit. It is said that the gods, before leaving Tyria, dropped one of the famed Bloodstones in the large volcano at the center of this region.”

The mood turns somewhat more serious when he speaks and not only due to his tale.  
Amadi raises a hand to run it in thought over his cheeks.  
“Is that part of why we have come here?”, he asks.

Khilbron nods briefly.  
“I am certain it is connected to the magical aptitude of this land, but it is not the only reason. These islands hold something else, a creation which is critical to our mission.”

Salma crosses her arms over her chest, currently wearing a light armor, and glances towards the Vizier.  
“You mentioned this earlier, but are you really sure this is the right place? It seems like an odd choice to keep something that valuable.”

The sorcerer shakes his head.  
“Not at all, for it is the very danger of the isles which makes it a perfect disguise. Now that we are here, I suppose I can explain it further.  
Closer to the center of the largest island, we will find magical seals belonging to a gateway known as the Door of Komalie. For centuries, maybe even millennia, the mursaat have guarded these shores, safekeeping a weapon locked behind the Door, one which has the power to stop them forever.”

Miljana looks skeptical as she hears it, running a hand over Nakota’s fur.  
“A weapon? Why don’t they use it?”

“Because the power it possesses is not meant for them. It is a tool which was employed against them long ago, by foes I do not know the identity of. They could not disable the weapon, and therefore instead chose to seal it inside magical barriers. The gateway is the only path for us to attain the weapon itself.”

What he says does sound fairly reasonable for why they would do such a thing, at least on the level of logic which mursaat operate on, but also worrying.  
“If they could not wield it, then why do you believe we can?”, Amadi asks him.

“A good question, but one with an obvious answer. Most of us would not be capable of this, as the power emitted from the weapon is too strong for anyone to wield. But, we do not just have any type of people in our midst, do we? The Shining Blade is accompanied by the Ascendants, chosen entities who have been blessed by the Five. It is through these gifts, your connection to the touch of the gods, that we can finally break open the gate and lay claim to the contents within.”

Dev looks hesitant and scratches her neck in thought.  
“Okay uh, not to be critical of this plan or anything, but most of us aren’t really magic-savvy, even less with ancient spells.”

Isidro snorts.  
“Speak for yourself. I know plenty of various seals and rituals! Well…elemental-based ones, at least.”

Khilbron raises a reassuring hand.  
“Do not worry, my friends, for you do not need to fear what lies within. I shall be accompanying you to the best of my abilities and offer my knowledge as guidance. Together, I believe we can traverse the islands and break open the seals.”

The group feels a little bit better about their chances with Khilbron at their side. He does appear to be acquainted with all kinds of weird spells, which is certainly needed here.  
Evennia feels like pitching in with some info as well.  
“We sent out a few scouts earlier, who helped check some of the other parts of the nearby area, and they did spot a lot of White Mantle troops and mursaat. This island is obviously important to them, so there’s probably no need to doubt the claim.”

Miljana inclines her head in recognition.  
“We have come far, but this journey is not over yet. To get towards the center, we will still have to do a lot of fighting. Our team will try our best to take point and carve a path through the White Mantle’s forces. We might need some backup, though.”

“And you shall have it”, Salma tells her. “The Shining Blade and our dwarven allies will do our best to provide assistance by creating distractions and hitting them when they least expect it. All you have to do is keep running and make sure not to get captured.  
Here, on these isles, will be the place where the White Mantle will finally sees the beginning of its end. The mursaat will fall and their hold on Kryta will be released. I don’t really want to consider the unfortunate scenarios that might happen, but if necessary, we will sacrifice everything for victory.”

Obviously not a very positive prospect, but everyone involved knows just how terrible their situation is. Surrender or retreat is not an option, not if they intend to see any change.  
At the same time, though, Evennia isn’t entirely comfortable with the plan and gives a certain warrior a worried gaze.  
“Devona…be careful out there. If you get yourself killed, I’ll never forgive you.”

Dev looks back at her from where she’s currently standing and smiles. They could be spending some more time together in private, but with the situation here being so precarious and how they have to continue planning the next stage, they have chosen to wait with any intimacy until later. It will make it easier for them and also provide something to fight for.  
“Don’t worry, we know what we’re doing and I trust my friends to keep me safe, just as much as they trust me to do the same.”

Her words make the Shining Blade leader return the gesture, but the troubling emotions do not leave her eyes.  
Off to the side, Saya smirks to herself.  
“Yeah, don’t worry Evy, she’ll be intact. I mean, she might have a few bruises and scars, but that’s not a bad thing, right? It’ll give you a chance to ‘heal’ them later on.”

A few of the group starts to laugh or chuckle, with even Amadi smiling, but Dev sighs heavily and rubs a hand over her head.  
“Goddammit, Saya.”


	48. To open oblivion

The charge through the forces of the White Mantle and the mursaat was a success for the team of Ascendants. Thanks to the Shining Blade’s various distractions and the unnecessary caution on the mursaat’s side, the strike team could push forward with unexpected efficiency. It appears that the powers of both spectral infusion and True Sight has fulfilled their purposes and it unnerves the spellcasters too much to act boldly. The White Mantle may have strong and brave warriors, but there is not enough of them here to fully protect against several strikes at once, which has thinned their forces in the wrong places. Well, wrong for them, anyway.

After having fought through an area known as ‘Abaddon’s Mouth’, they have now ended up in a section which eerily enough resembles the sacrificial ground back in Maguuma, where they witnessed Hablion murdering the Chosen in order to empower their Unseen gods. It appears that the power of a Bloodstone is once more being used for the benefit of the mursaat, but these seals are dissimilar from those in the jungle, as they obviously serve a different purpose.

Khilbron had guided them inside through his vast knowledge, but he mostly stayed in the back during the assault itself, obviously to not to be hit by any stray mursaat attacks. As a contingency, he had made sure to instruct Isidro on how to break the seals when they arrived at the correct spot.  
At this time, as each of the members from the team take a corner to protect, the elementalist unleashes his magic, shattering the wards and breaks open what they assume to be the Door of Komalie.  
At first, nothing occurs, instilling most of them with doubt for the success of their endeavor, but it does not take many seconds until the ground shakes and further up, they see how a crack forms in the middle of the air. By some unknown force, it is gradually pulled open, creating a portal to a distant realm. The edges of this entity burn with unstable energy and out from it swirls magical white lights, erupting in all directions. This lasts for about a minute before things get quiet again, but the air feels thicker somehow.

They stand and watch silently for a time and then begin to wonder if something went wrong.  
“Was that it?”, Sayaki asks.  
“Kinda thought there’d be more…I dunno, things for us to put our hands on, I guess. He did call it a ‘weapon’.”

Isidro takes a deep breath and nods in agreement.  
“I definitely feel a magical aura surrounding us, but…can’t pinpoint it.”

“Maybe it’s hidden somehow?”, Devona suggests.  
“If it’s this powerful, the mursaat may have put extra defensive layers on it or…something. We could-“

In the center of the platform, right next to Isidro, Khilbron simply appears out of nowhere, surprising most of the group. The elementalist reflexively jumps backwards before he notices who has joined them.  
“Vizier?”, Miljana asks. She’s about to continue, but hesitates at the impression he emits. His eyes are distant, as if he’s watching something beyond their perception.  
“We did as you told us, but nothing substantial has happened so far. We can’t see the weapon you mentioned. Were we mistaken or is there another level to this portal? We’re not sure if-“

“Wait!”, they hear Dev calling out.  
“Something is…something is rising from the lava! Over there!”

All of them turn in that direction, expecting to see some type of item which may have been hidden beneath the flames, but that is unfortunately not what they get. Instead, a warped and jagged creation, with three legs, two massive arms and a large maw, slowly makes it way over the molten rocks. The hide of this being seems to be a combination of the very lava it traverses and charred stones.  
"Lyssa's tits…what in the Mists is that?”, Saya asks.

Amadi grips the handle of his scythe harder and scowls.  
“It almost appears as if the fire itself has come alive.”

Isidro swallows nervously and nods.  
“Yeah. The magical energies I sensed…it’s coming from over there.”

Khilbron still holds onto the Scepter of Orr, which he now raises further up into the air, while speaking to them slowly, but firmly.  
“Yes, you have indeed opened the Door of Komalie and I am thankful for your assistance. Now, step aside.”

Without another word, he slams the bottom of the Scepter into the ground, which is infused with magic. The power gathered around it erupts, sending out a shockwave that knocks the entire team off the platform, making several of them crash into the nearby rocks and cliff walls. Unleashing its power shatters the illusion which surrounded him, revealing his twisted appearance beneath. Dressed in more ragged garbs, with two bat-like wings on his back and a black horned helmet on his head, the Vizier’s true face is that of a somewhat rotten and pale unnatural creature, which does not belong here. For those with knowledge of necromantic magic, they would see him as what he truly is – an undead lich.

The beings from the lava are drawn by the magic he unleashes and begins to charge against him, seemingly to attack, but they do not get far. He raises the Scepter once more and his hoarser and more commanding voice echoes out over the area.  
“Stop! Titans of fire and stone, I command you! Obey the might of the Scepter of Orr!”  
The scepter itself gives off a brief flash of light and even though it doesn’t specifically hit any of them, they all stop, as if struck by the truth of his words. Shortly thereafter, each of them take a few steps back and lower their bodies, bowing their heads in submission. The lich’s face forms a rather hideous grin and he laughs.  
“It worked! Just as foretold in the prophecy.”

In the surrounding terrain, most of the Ascendants slowly rise from their positions, but not all do so with ease. Several of them are sore, mostly from bruises caused by the impact, but it is Miljana who has it the worst. Having been pierced by some of the sharp rocks she flew into, she groans in pain as she grips her stomach, only managing to get to her knees.  
Saya hears it, gasps and hurries over to her, joined by a very worried Nakota.  
“What…what just happened? Are you okay?”

Miljana coughs, a sound which sends chills through Saya with how raspy it is.  
“Not really. The shockwave, it…knocked me into some pretty inconvenient spikes, I guess.”

“Dammit. Isidro! Come over here, Miljana needs help!”

The length they flew, along with the pain they suffered, means that they sort of missed the entire event in the center, but now that they regain most of their wits, some of them try to examine what horrors have been wrought. Amadi frowns with distaste when he sees the flaming creatures bowing to their new master.  
“It appears that the Vizier has taken control of whatever came out of the gateway. He must have known exactly what was going to happen.”

Dev feels her rage intensifying and she gets on her feet with the support of Dragonheart’s handle. They should probably try to find a way out of here, but she’s too angry and shocked over what has occurred.  
“Khilbron! What in the name of the Five are you doing?! Did we not come here together? Have we not worked side by side all this time?”

They regain his attention, and when he turns towards them, so do every Titan around him. He smirks with satisfaction.  
“This is certainly true. You have indeed been instrumental in allowing me to succeed with this plan, and I am thankful for your prowess…and gullibility.”

Dev’s frown deepens and she grips her hammer harder, lifting it up, but she’s unsure if she will really get to use it. They are severely outnumbered and these creatures seem to increase in numbers by the minute.  
“Why would you do this? Do we not share the same enemy, the same goal?”

“In many ways, you are right, my ferocious friend, but you are also mistaken.  
While these wonderful creatures at my side - the Titans - will tear the mursaat apart and end their threat forever, these ‘flames’ must also be controlled, just as the prophecy mentioned.  
Much like how I sent Orr to the depths of the ocean, I shall bring the same fate to the rest of Tyria.”

At this time, Miljana is desperately being healed by Isidro, and while she tries to focus on instructions to stay calm, she can’t help but overhear what’s being said.  
“Wh…what?!”, she calls out.  
“You sunk Orr? That’s…that’s impossible!”

He leans his head backwards and releases a mocking laughter.  
“What, did you believe the island destroyed itself? Or perhaps that the charr burned it all down in their foolish thirst for blood?  
Those mongrels would never be capable of such an incredible feat.”  
Khilbron shakes his head.  
“No, it was I who saw to it. I found the power for the magical ritual myself, in the depths of Arah’s library, among some of the ancient scrolls which the gods had left us so long ago.”

Amadi’s scowl tightens, sensing how his fury is building in the same pace as Dev’s, but for him, it is out of feeling disgusted by the very idea of misusing the gods’ gift in such a way.  
“You are out of your mind, Vizier. Do you understand the kind of devastation you have caused?”

“Hah! You believe that I caused it? You are as foolish as those blindly worshipping morons in Arah, and every other corner of the island.  
Orr was on the brink of downfall, just as the rest of the human race, ever since the Exodus. I simply decided when it would occur.”

“Goddammit, Khilbron!”  
Miljana calls out, feeling more pain surging through her body.  
“All those lives…all that history…who gave you the right to destroy it?! You were one of us!”

Saya looks worried as Miljana falls back to the ground, unable to stay seated due to the agony.  
“Jana, stop! You’re straining yourself too much! You’re still bleeding, you idiot!”

The Vizier himself, on the other hand, seems unperturbed by their outrage and instead gestures with his scepter, making the Titans now march forward to the group’s location.  
“Humans have slowly been dying ever since the gods left us behind on this pitiful rock, even if we could not see it. The end of our story has always been inevitable.  
Just like the mursaat, your last steps shall be taken upon this cursed land of fire. You may have been Ascendants, and I am grateful for your efforts, but your descent into the Mists begins now.”

Dev prepares herself for a fight, as does Amadi, but they’re both stopped by a pool of water being thrown on the ground, which quickly grows into a wall of ice. They turn around to look at Isidro.  
“We can’t stay here, dammit!”, he tells them. “It’s too late for us to fight now and these creatures pose too much of a threat with our injuries and unclear heads.”

When they calm down and give the situation a more strategic evaluation, they see his point.  
“He is right”, Amadi says. “We should pull back and find another approach. We do not even know if these Titans can be defeated yet.”

Several of them feel shame and regret over having to flee, but it is their only path.  
Dev moves up to Miljana to help her, due to being the strongest and can therefore share the burden much easier with Saya. But she won’t leave without getting the last word.  
“We _will_ come back for you, Khilbron! Don’t think this is over yet!”


	49. Intention and result

Defeated and humiliated, the Ascendants fled as quickly and far as they could, away from the sight of the Vizier and the grasp of his Titan tools. It was difficult for them to choose where to go and what to look for. Where would be a safe location to hide within this barren landscape? The Titans would be swarming over the isle, likely trying to overrun what few dwarves and Shining Blade remain here. Fear found its way inside their hearts for the lives that might be lost and Devona can’t help but wonder if she has doomed one she cares for more than most.

At this time, they are within a cave they managed to uncover, somewhere close to the coastal line of the isle. It is no less filled with heat than any other place nearby, but at least the chances of them being discovered appears to be rather minuscule.  
Miljana rests against one of the walls, being in quite a bit of pain due to the unfortunate damage she suffered earlier. To her, it’s somewhat ironic that the rest of the team avoided any major injuries, but she almost got killed by chance. They may not fully agree, but she is generally seen as the most appropriate choice as leader and her mental strength helps to enhance the others. At this time, she feels like she’d rather be in a bed than anywhere else, though; a sensation that inadvertently influences the whole group.

Every now and then, she groans in agony and her breathing is still quite raspy. All of this is enough to worry Sayaki immensely, who is seated next to her.  
“Jana…how are you doing? Is there anything I can get for you?”

Miljana attempts to steady herself, while at the same time feeling the support not just from Saya, but Nakota, who is in a similar position as her girlfriend and therefore only does what little she can. Right now, it means licking her companion’s hand, which obviously makes the ranger smile faintly.  
“Some water…would be nice”, she manages to emit. “You know, some that isn’t Isidro’s magical crap.”

Saya smiles and nods, grabbing her own waterskin and does her best to pour it gently down the ranger’s throat, as Miljana can’t and shouldn’t really move much right now. Even as she drinks carefully, she twitches from time to time, which scares Saya even further.  
“Dammit, I wish I could do more for you. I feel so…helpless.”

Despite the total mess of pain she's in, Miljana manages to offer a weak chuckle.  
“It’s alright, dear. I’m…fine as it is.”

An obvious lie, but something that is comforting nevertheless.  
Soon enough, they are joined by another person, as Isidro comes to sit down next to them after having dealt with a situation on the outside. They did not want to be overrun by any overflowing lava, after all.  
“Yeah well, maybe you could give me some space and let me take care of this instead?”

Not enjoying his demanding tone, Saya immediately frowns at him.  
“Hey, I’m trying to do my best here! How about you don’t just shove me away from my own girlfriend, asshole?”

Isidro sighs and rolls his eyes, knowing that the situation is rather precarious right now and everyone is on edge.  
“Look, you haven’t forgotten that I’m still the best healer among us, have you? Unless Dwayna descended from nowhere and granted you a bunch of spells while I was gone.”

Miljana smiles, hoping to stop a fight before it really gets going.  
“Saya, please, let him do his job. He clearly knows what he’s doing with this thing nowadays.”

Isidro snorts amusedly at the little prodding at his past, while Saya sighs and does as Miljana asks her.  
“Alright, alright, but I’ll be watching you. If she doesn’t get better after this…”

“Then we’re all screwed, so there’s no need to whip out your sharpest threats”, he tells her.

As the cave gets a bit quieter again, Saya distracts herself by scouring the rest of it and sees Dev and Amadi being seated closer to the entrance. The latter is on the ground, practically hiding in a corner with his scythe laid down across his legs. It doesn’t appear as if he’s praying, but he’s definitely in a troubled state.  
The Ascalonian warrior is nearby, not being able to just sit like the others, she is kneeling instead and still holds her hammer with one hand. There’s a certain amount of tension looming over her, just as with the others, but it’s not easy to determine where it originates from.

“What…what in the Mists have we done?”, Dev says, although it’s unclear whether she’s speaking to the others or herself.  
“The terror we have unleashed, it’s…”  
She lowers her gaze and sighs.  
“How could we not have seen this coming?”

Saya feels unsure, not wanting to fully admit guilt, but can they claim innocence in this matter? They were utilized practically like puppets up until this point.  
“Dev, c’mon, don’t say that. We can’t really be blamed for what happened. I mean, sure, we were there but…we were unwitting participants in it.”

“I disagree”, she hears from the corner, seeing Amadi’s firm expression.  
“Not knowing what would transpire does not mean we can ignore our involvement. We acted with such hatred against our foe that were blinded by it, which is what led us down this path.”

She sighs and folds her arms, feeling like he has a point. It’s easy to pretend they were mere victims of a dastardly plot, but that would be ignoring the entire truth.  
That said, how much guilt should they be admitting? Where is the line between responsibility and unfortunate circumstance?  
“Well, I’m not gonna argue with you when it comes to inculpability, but we can’t ignore Khilbron either. The fact that he tricked us is a pretty important detail in this entire event. I mean, he was clearly way smarter than we believed. He must’ve been planning this shit for months, maybe years.”

Amadi nods briefly.  
“Yes, I will give you that much. His strategic consideration is superb to an alarming degree, but this does not take away from the possibility that we may have been able to do something in an earlier phase. After all, did he not try to constantly hurry us along? Were we not led down this path rather conveniently? His knowledge of the events in each stage, in hindsight, are astoundingly accurate.”

None of them can really argue against this conclusion either. The Vizier practically commanded them onwards, ever since they wandered into the desert. As he seemed to know so much, they chose to trust him, to believe that there was practically nothing he didn’t know. And now, they realize why.  
In the meantime, Dev seems hesitant, like she’s pondering another aspect which she feels very guilty about. Eventually, she cannot stay silent.

“I…I can’t stop thinking about the mursaat.”  
Her eyes drift to the ground below her and they appear distant.  
“When we ran in this direction, I saw some of those monsters - the Titans or whatever - how they overran one of the mursaat’s camps outside of the fortress they built. They didn’t stand a chance. The Titans ripped them open like they were nothing more than meat for them to consume, prey for their never-ending hunger.”

Amadi is quiet and Saya raises a hand to rub at the bridge of her nose.  
“Well…guess we all expected this to happen. At least the Vizier asshole didn’t lie about that.”

Dev sighs, her shoulders slumping.  
“Yes, but, is this really what we wanted? It’s very likely that they’ll keep hunting the mursaat and a lot of them will be butchered, like cattle. From what Khilbron said, many of them had come here in order to protect the Door from…well, us.  
On top of this, Khilbron himself seemed pretty adamant about destroying them, as they are a threat.”  
She halts for a moment, slowing down to consider what it is she’s trying to say, as she nibbles at her lower lip. She doesn’t wish to express this opinion, but someone has to.  
“Were we…mistaken about the mursaat? I mean, they were doing a lot of heinous crap, I know, but this thing with the Door, they could have been performing something smart there. Did we…misunderstand their race? Maybe all of them were not complicit in these crimes and we could have-“

“Shut up, Devona!”  
They all go quiet when Isidro raises his voice, practically shouting at her. He has turned to glare at her, one of his fists being clenched and there’s a hidden rage underneath the layers of his exterior.  
“Mistaken about the fucking mursaat? I don’t want to hear that kind of bullshit. Yeah, they guarded the Door from these monsters, but so what? They are still _murderers_ and _slavers_. Don’t ever fucking forget that.”

Dev’s gaze is set to face his and while she’s not as certain in her position, she’s not going to stop questioning it.  
“Yes, I know, and I’m not saying we shouldn’t have stopped them, but did they deserve this? Did they _all_ deserve to die?”

“Who cares?! Have not enough of them done damage to Kryta and to people overall?  
Did you not hear what the Seer up in the Shiverpeaks said? They have been tricking, exploiting and slaughtering other people for millennia. I don’t care if all of them die. Tyria is probably fucking better without them.”

“Are you sure about that?”, another voice in the cave says. Isidro and the rest turns to look at Miljana. While she’s weakened and there’s still much to heal, she refuses to be excluded from the conversation.  
“This will mean genocide, Isidro. The death of an entire race.”

Somehow, when she says it, he encounters some more hesitation. Just like the rest, he doesn’t know why her opinion has reached such a prominence, but it has. Still, he’s not going to accept it without defending himself.  
“Yeah, and? The mursaat have been killing us for years, Miljana, perhaps even longer, when we haven’t been looking. They would never hesitate to massacre all of us if they felt it would preserve them.”

“Yes, I know that, but how are we any better if we simply use the same actions? We are not directly responsible for the crimes being committed on this isle, but we are still involved.  
I am not saying that we should not defend ourselves, but this is going far beyond simple self-defense. Genocide is a zealous and harsh response, based completely on blind hatred, rather than justice. Can we be entirely sure there are no redeemable factors among any of the mursaat?”

Isidro looks at her for several moments, attempting to find any kind of side to his own argument that could salvage it, but there is none that he can think of.  
Amadi nods in agreement with the ranger.  
“You are right, Miljana. We must not be driven by the same lack of concern for lives that the mursaat have been, at least not completely. We should save ourselves, but still maintain a certain level of respect for existence. We must do our best to make this right. Something must be done.”

“I agree, actually,” Saya remarks. “I mean, whether or not the mursaat are too dangerous to keep alive, Khilbron and his Titans are just as much of a threat to humans too. It’s not like he’s going to ignore us if he wants all of Tyria.  
We have to go kill that son of a charr and get revenge for Orr.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I'm not saying that Miljana, Devona or Amadi are any more correct than Isidro, but yeah, these are their opinions on what was done. They're clearly not on the same page, but kinda too late to stop at this point._


	50. Death of heroes

The hunt for Khilbron takes the group through the twisted landscape around them, climbing over cliffs, taking passages through caves and using anything large to their advantage, in order to hide from patrols or to ambush them. While some of them get a few bruises or minor wounds, it’s nothing they can’t handle. But if it it does shift into a more severe aspect, there’s no option for them to wait at this time. They need to hurry this along and finish their opponent before this event becomes unstoppable. The Titans are already surging to every known section on Tyria, in an attempt to kill everyone they can find.  
One advantage with these clashes against their monstrous foes is the fact that they learn how the Titans are not invincible. Sure, they’re sturdy, their attacks are perilous and when one falls, two might rise. But eventually, there is no more division and the Titans become nothing more than further pieces of rubble. They can be beaten.

With this knowledge in the back of their minds, the team adapt their own tactics, knowing which types to hit first and when to set their ambushes. For hours, they sneak through the isle, giving both Miljana and Devona flashbacks to a lot of their toughest fighting against the charr. Then again, even those cats were nothing in comparison to the largest individual Titans. If they didn’t have these magical weapons, their situation would be much worse.

It’s late in the evening, with the darkness descending upon them and the isle being illuminated by nothing except the lava, that they finally find their target. Khilbron has been preparing all sorts of portals to various places, which the Titans plunge into, like troops being sent to battle. It surprises them how he can access such spells with so much ease. Does it have something to do with the Scepter of Orr or the Titans themselves? Or is he somehow utilizing the power of the Bloodstone hidden beneath the earth? That he’s able to at all brings fear into their hearts, not knowing how far his abilities can reach.

Nevertheless, this appears to be the main hub of portals and as he’s here, they have no other choice than to face him. He must go down and they have to attain the Scepter, in order to stop this catastrophe.  
“So, how do we approach this?”, Devona asks. “Doesn’t look like an ambush is an option here.”

They see what she means, as the Vizier is not alone. He would not go far without his minions, obviously and while those being sent to assault their enemies' lairs are Titans, the ones protecting him are his undead creations; ghastly figures who were once human, but have now turned into abominations. Fighting walking corpses themselves would not be difficult, but he has obviously empowered them with necromantic magic. The armor and weapons they wield appears to be glowing with some kind of power and the Ascendants realize it will not be an easy fight.

“If you distract him, I could try to sneak around. I’ve faced worse situations back in Kaineng”, Sayaki informs them.

Isidro looks at her skeptically.  
“What, did you get the chance to assassinate a lot of undead liches back then?”

Saya turns her smirk to him.  
“Tsk. I didn’t say that, you smug bastard, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be any more attentive than the mid-tier district bosses I had to fight. Besides, I didn’t use to have magical fucking swords either, but times change, right?”

Her argument doesn’t appear to convince him, but Dev shakes her head at the thought of both of their reactions.  
“Well, it’s a possibility that we can exploit”, she admits.

“Hmm, seems risky”, Amadi points out. “There isn’t much in this terrain which you can hide behind, Sayaki. If you get spotted and surrounded, we may not be able to assist you.”

“Pfft, I don’t need anyone’s help”, she insists. “I’ve fought tons of guys at once before. I can handle myself.”

“No,” Miljana says firmly, “I agree with Amadi. This isn’t a situation where we should take unnecessary risks, not if we want to bring him down and come out of it alive. We should go at this together, Saya.”

The rogue looks displeased with this conclusion, but she doesn’t wish to argue with Miljana either.  
“What if he gets away because we didn’t take every advantage we could get?”

“Then we will keep hunting him. I would rather take that prospect than seeing you get hurt.”

It appears Miljana is rather adamant about it and since Saya isn’t absolutely confident she can succeed, she gives in.  
“Alright, fine”, she says while raising her arms in defeat. “I won’t try to get him alone, but we need to have a plan. What else can we do?”

Dev is watching the field ahead of them, counting their enemies and predicting their movements. It appears to be something that Miljana has been focusing on as well.  
“Well, he doesn’t have all too many guards and the Titans are rather far away. Perhaps we should keep this simple and go for a frontal assault? Pretty sure we can take those undead.”

Not an unreasonable tactic in most of their minds and the ranger nods in agreement.  
“I think that’s our best shot. Move at him now, before he can call for more reinforcements.”

Saya folds her arms.  
“Unless he’s got a trick up his sleeve and is just waiting for us to get close”, she says skeptically.

Miljana exhales briefly.  
“Then that’s a risk we have to take. At least we will be doing it together, side by side.  
C’mon, let’s get to it and hope that this will be the attack which saves Kryta.”

As they separate themselves from the cover they were hiding behind and advance on his location, some of his undead guards spot the intruders coming, and it appears that Khilbron is alerted of such movement almost instantly.  
At this time, he’s standing on a slope, overlooking his operation, like a King sending his troops into war and when he turns towards the group, he has to look down in order for their eyes to meet. His mouth spreads into an ugly grin.

“Well well, it appears that you did not run after all, hmm? Not far anyhow. It is brave of you to return, but foolish. All you will find here, my dear Ascendants, is death. You should have stayed hidden in your holes while you could.”

Miljana walks in the front of the team right now, with Dev and Amadi being on her closest flanks and the two others in the back, all of them brandishing their weapons.  
“Sorry to disappoint, but we tend to not give up without a fight.”

Saya snorts amusedly.  
“Not like there’s anywhere to run anyway. We’re stuck on this island, at least without ships. Might as well throw ourselves into the fire, rather than wait for it to reach us.”

Dev frowns and nods in agreement.  
“We have a bone to pick with you anyway, Khilbron. You tricked and betrayed us, led us right into a trap, like the coward you are. We were not just going to let you get away with it.”

“The damage you have caused on humanity with the destruction of Orr cannot be forgiven”, Amadi adds. “The gods shall see you descend into the depths of the Underworld and we will be the ones to deliver you into Grenth’s grasp.”

“You thought you could manipulate Krytans so easily, huh?”, Isidro says and then smirks at him. “Guess you underestimated how stubborn we are.”

Khilbron looks at them, listening to each of their words, before leaning his head back and laughing.  
“Your courage is commendable and I admire how fierce your resolve can be, but I do not have time to bicker with children. If you intend to continue opposing me for whatever foolish reason, then do so, but I have more important concerns.”  
He turns around, showing his back to them in a display of how little he cares.  
“You are free to take on my vanguard and their Captain in the meantime. You may recognize his appearance, so I hope you enjoy yourselves.”

As Khilbron floats away, he reveals how a person was standing behind him, and the sight immediately sends chills through both Dev and Miljana, the former almost dropping her weapon in shock. At the same time, Nakota growls in slight fear.  
The armor, the flowing red cloak, the sturdy shield with the familiar symbol of Ascalon and the flaming sword brought together is like a vision from their past, a revelation of their dreams. Unfortunately, it is a broken sight, just like his armor, as his body is cracked, desiccated and unnatural. What stands upon the hill before them is not the man they once knew, but a resurrected husk.

“P…Prince Rurik?”, Miljana eventually manages to emit, making the three others look at her in surprise.

“Wait…what? That’s your Prince?”, Isidro asks.  
“But, how is that possible?”

They have no answer for him, but the very sight is enough to relay the truth.  
Rurik steps forth and when he speaks they recognize the voice, but it is much raspier than they’re used to, as if it should not be made to utter a word any longer, but breaks the laws of reality.  
“Devona, Miljana. I am glad to see you both live and have transcended all that I could have ever hoped for. It brings me both joy…and sorrow.  
I do not wish to fight you, but I have no say in the matter.”

They both see how he moves his hand to the hilt of his blade and pulls it off his belt, lifting it up. The fires of Sohothin burns brighter than when it was sheathed and in the past, this sight brought comfort and safety to the Ascalonians, knowing that their leader was at their side and ready to fight the enemy. Here and now, it practically freezes them in place, too stunned to move.  
“My Prince”, Dev says uncertainly. “We…we can’t do this. We can’t fight you.”

“I am sorry, my friend, but there is no option.”  
They see it too, as he’s already heading down the slope, getting next to his undead troops, even though they are just as controlled as he is.  
“Khilbron wrenched me from the Underworld before I could be judged and put me back into the broken state of my body. I am but a puppet now, and though I am loath to say it, he calls for your blood. I must obey.”

The vanguard all raises their weapons and charges at their foes, forcing the Ascendants to prepare their defenses, no matter how reluctant they are.  
Rurik chooses to target Devona first, but when she’s given the opportunity to strike, she hesitates for too long. Instead, she can only lift her weapon just in time to block his attack, letting Sohothin burn against the hilt of Dragonheart.  
“Rurik…I can’t.”

“You must!”, he calls out, while at the same time turning his blade to slice at their midsection and she has to parry once more.  
“You can’t let him win! If you do not stop him, then no one can! Defeating me is the only way.”

The others all have to face the various undead troops which outnumber them, fighting back with all they have. Devona is not the only one who hesitates, but she is the one who has the most difficulty with counterattacks.  
“You were our Prince, our leader, the shining future of Ascalon. You can’t ask me to kill you now!”

It’s hard to tell what Rurik is feeling, when his face is nothing more than a rotting mockery of what he once was, but it does appear to her that he’s grimacing.  
“Dammit, Devona, listen to yourself! I’m already dead! What you see before you is nothing more than a puppet controlled by Khilbron!”

“But you have your own mind! Please, try to fight back! You can regain control!”

He sighs, and it is rather strange to watch, with the fact that his body struggles like it wants nothing more than to tear Dev apart.  
“You don’t understand. The reason I can speak is because of my soul. I can still express myself, due to the fact that the Vizier managed to return me to Tyria before I could traverse the Underworld. It is the only way he could command Sohothin and use its full powers. My body is completely his. I can hardly even feel it moving.”

“But…please, I-“

Her fear and uncertainty is eventually what becomes close to fatal when she does not maintain her attention on Rurik’s movements. She practically forgets how tough of a fighter he can be and the reach of his magical sword. The royal blade finds a gap in her defenses and carves a small wound directly into her side, with the flames around it only making the situation worse, leaving scorched skin.  
Dev screams in pain and she stumbles, almost losing the grip on her weapon.

“Devona!”, he calls out.  
“Please, someone, stop me!”

Unfortunately, it appears the rest of the team is too far away to act and too busy with their own opponent to get there in time.  
Sohothin is raised into the sky once more and Rurik’s body is about to deliver another critical blow, one that will surely end any of Dev’s resistance. It gets about halfway there, before it is knocked away; not out of his grasp, but being deflected by another force.  
It is not a blade which stopped the attack, however, as what lands on the ground is a magical arrow which disintegrate after it has pierced the ground. Rurik’s body shifts in the direction of its path and his eyes focus on the shooter.

Miljana holds Truthseeker in front of her, still in an offensive stance. Her gaze displays two traits – determination and sorrow.  
“Get out of his reach, Devona. I’ll take care of him.”

Dev grits her teeth, using her hammer to push herself back on her feet.  
“But, Jana…we can’t-“

“Dev, goddammit! Don’t argue with me! The others need your help and they can’t hold out forever. Leave Rurik to me. There is nothing left of our Prince, but I will make sure that the remains shall be treated with care.”  
The warrior doesn’t seem particularly satisfied with that conclusion, but she has little choice in the matter. She tries to ignore the pain from the wound she just received and gets back into battle, with foes she’s at least able to fight without remorse.  
Miljana and Rurik simply stare at each other for several moments, as if even the body can recognize the gravity of the situation.  
“I’m sorry about this.”

He shakes his head, something he at least manages to force out of it. Shortly after, it begins to move once more, against his will.  
“Don’t be. You will be doing me a favor, one I have yearned for.”

She obviously doesn’t want him to get too close, as melee range is not her expertise as an archer. She prepares another arrow, letting it fly through the air and penetrate his leg. The body stumbles briefly, but he keeps going, not being deterred by a single strike, nor does it stop when she shoots the other leg either.  
Eventually, he gets within range to attack her, but she has slowed the body enough that she can dodge his strike, just barely getting underneath the blade. At the same time, she pulls out her own sword attached to her belt and digs it deeply into his back. Even so, he does not stop, swinging his weapon in the same move. Once more, she evades the attack, but the magical heat of the blade is something she can feel being emitted, an aspect which only shows whenever it is used in battle.

Having learned from her fight with Confessor Dorian, she makes sure to get as much distance between her and Rurik as possible, trying to make him chase her around nearby rocks and firing arrows occasionally in an attempt to slow him down. It is not a swift process, but an efficient one. It gradually drains his strength and while the body may not feel pain, it will collapse when sustaining enough damage. After several precise shots and a few slashes with her other sword, the Prince’s rotten leg eventually comes off and his body tumbles to the ground.

As it does, she hears a groan from him, expecting a counterattack, but he does not try to get back up or crawl after her.  
“I…I have regained control, but I believe it’s only temporary.”  
He sounds tired and broken, like he has been suffering for too long.  
“It’s over and this can finally end. Thank you, Miljana, for doing what Devona could not.”

The ranger kneels down next to her leader, the man she has followed into battle numerous times in the past, now lying as a decaying, dirty and almost indistinguishable mess on the ground. It breaks her heart.  
“I don’t blame her, Your Majesty. She…she admired you too much to ever strike against you.”

He coughs painfully and nods slowly.  
“I know, and I am thankful for it, but it’s unfortunately what Khilbron expected. It would have led to her end and you would have lost a friend. My own soul would have cursed itself for such an act."

Miljana stares at him, silent and lost for words. She tries to find something, anything to express her emotions properly.  
“I…I am truly sorry, my Prince. This is…not what we wanted and not what we expected when you asked us to leave you. If we had known…”

Rurik shakes his head.  
“Don’t think of such things. There was nothing you could’ve done. He tricked us all, anticipated every move that you would take and led you into this trap. The fact that you managed to stop it regardless makes me proud.  
But it does not end here. You have to kill the Vizier and end his reign. Only with his death and by using the Scepter will you be able to prevent this from getting worse. The Door of Komalie can be shut and most of the Titans will be absorbed back into its hold. I trust you and your team to succeed with this, as I always have.”

She feels as if someone grips her spirit and squeezes it. She regains flashbacks from the various events they went through for the two years they spent in Ascalon after the Searing, winning battles but always retreating.  
“It shall be done, Your Majesty. Khilbron will die and we will avenge both you and the destruction of Orr.”  
For a moment, she hesitates and considers if she wishes to continue, but feels she must.  
“Dagnar Stoneplate is dead as well, my Prince. It was Devona herself who delivered the deathblow. I don’t know how much solace it gives you but…you were avenged, at least.”

She sees how his dried lips manages to twist into a small smile, even if it looks uncomfortable.  
“I am glad you found what you needed, but vengeance was never something I sought. At least he will not be a danger to anyone else anymore, and that is a relief.”  
He groans once more, his hand grasping at his chest.  
“I…feel how the Vizier’s hold is returning. I will not be able to last much longer.  
I have one more favor to ask of you, Miljana. The last one.”

The ranger shuts her eyes, clenching her bow tighter.  
“Anything.”

“It will hurt you, I know, but you must obey. End my suffering, please, and send me back into Grenth’s realm. Peace is all I want.”

When she swallows, it’s difficult and she has to force herself to push through, but knows this is inevitable.  
Once more, she rises to her feet and nods.  
“Very well, if that is what you wish.”

“Thank you. Please, tell Devona and any other Ascalonians who survived our journey that I am proud of them. Let your unity be your strength.”

One last time, she raises Truthseeker in Rurik’s direction, nocking another arrow.  
In the area around her, the others are now standing there watching her, as their battles have ended as well. There’s no need to say anything, however, as they wouldn’t know what would ease the sorrow.  
“Prince Rurik of Ascalon, son of King Adelbern, descendant of King Doric, heir to the throne and wielder of Sohothin, I will send you back to the Mists where you belong and though it pains me, I hope this will ease your suffering. May the Five have mercy on us all and forgive us for these actions.”

He shuts his eyes.  
“They will, my friend. The gods have smiled on you before and will do again. Fight bravely, all of you.”

She takes a deep breath, scowls and steels herself.  
“We shall meet again, Your Majesty, in the Hall of Heroes.”

Then she fires, penetrating his skull and sends the last bits of energy out of his body.  
Quick prayers are uttered in his honor and they make sure to place him on a suitable location for a sendoff, not letting him rot among the rest of these foul remains. Isidro uses his magic to light the body on fire and they stand there watching his end for a time.  
Dev is the one who holds onto the flickering Sohothin, one whose flames will never be as warm again.  
“May Grenth’s embrace be soothing, Your Majesty.”


	51. Retribution

The energies of the Bloodstone, the artifact dropped so long ago by the gods in this area, does not lie dormant, despite the opening of the Door of Komalie. Instead, it oozes with energy due to the powerful spellcaster trying to utilize its strength in order to summon more fiery creatures under his domain and empower them. It was not the intended use for this type of dangerous artifact, but the lich lord cares little about what any distant deities may have wanted when they squandered this world.  
His focus is soon diverted, however, when presences that should not belong closes in on his location and his face twists into one of amusement instead. He turns towards the only opening into this valley, in the depths of the Ring of Fire, the very center of the darkness.

“So, you came after all. Somehow, I do not feel surprised.”

The group of six closes the distance between them and him, albeit not all too much, due to the Titan guards which surrounds him. In the middle stands Miljana, her purple cloak flickering in the wind and just like the rest, she has her magical weapon drawn.  
“You may be the flameseeker, Vizier, but we are the Ascendants. This was always going to happen.”

Khilbron chuckles knowingly.  
“Of course it would. Despite the outcome of our previous encounters, I figured you would never be satisfied with whatever obstacles I provided. Our confrontation was inevitable, written in the annals of fate.”

“You’re damn right”, Devona tells him. “After all you’ve done, there was only one way that justice could ever be served.”

The lich shakes his head.  
“You do not understand. I have known of this encounter for much longer than any of you may have believed. I have been following your progress for quite some time, having expected that the bringers of the gifts I sought would emerge from the mountains when the worst of the fighting within Kryta began. It was predicted and conveyed to me, mostly through looking into the prophecy and following its general events. I merely acted accordingly, sought out the correct people and bided my time.”

Miljana frowns and grips her bow harder.  
“What is wrong with you? I can never understand insanity such as yours. If you knew what would occur around Tyria in general, why did you not act? Why did you not do anything to stop it?!”

Khilbron tilts his head backwards and laughs.  
“There was no need! I already told you earlier of what I believe and this fact still stands.  
Humanity as a whole is on the brink of total annihilation, just as it should be after we were abandoned by the Five traitors.  
Ascalon was scorched, Orr was sunk and Kryta is being torn apart from within. As for Elona and Cantha, their time will come as well. There is nothing which can be done to stop it.”

At the mentioning of their homes, both Sayaki and Amadi’s expression tightens, but for now, they stay back.  
“What you did to Orr can never be replicated in Elona. The Order of the Sunspears would stop you”, Amadi tells him.

“And Cantha have suffered way worse than your shitty undead. It will outlive you too”, Sayaki adds.

He merely snorts at them both, dismissing their concerns.  
“As a race, humans have become a plague on this world, forsaken upon it by the gods and it needed to be purged.  
I am a beacon for this future, the method for which to summon its end. I am both a cure for Tyria’s health and the blade of death, being delivered to those who deserve it.  
The world will be reborn in flames, ignited by one who has seen past the edge of reality and accepted the coming doom.”  
He smirks as his hands sweeps out before him, indicating the intruders.  
“And all that stand in my way now, are five people and a meagre cat. Whether you have a chance at all is not even a discussion which needs to be had. Destiny cannot be undone.”

He raises the Scepter of Orr and they see how magic flows out from it, creating beams which penetrate several of the Titans, while also surrounding him in order to create a protective shield. Shortly after, the Titans turn their faceless bodies towards the Ascendants and surge out, moving with murderous intent.  
Compared to the fight against Rurik and his undead vanguard, Devona does not hesitate this time. With Isidro having used water-based magic on her to temporarily dampen the pain from her wounds, she can move unhindered and Amadi joins her at the front as they prepare to clash with the Titans. They are as both the shield and the sword for the rest.

Isidro is a few steps behind, backing up the two ahead of him. He may not be able to pull from the Bloodstone’s magic, but he can still utilize the terrain and therefore summons rocks to follow his call, creating two elementals that move to tackle the Titans head-on.  
At the very back stands Miljana, whose goal it is to support everyone simultaneously, but the foremost intent is to get Sayaki through the enemy’s defenses. The assassin is attempting to do what she does best, and she needs a path. Truthseeker launches several arrows which pierces the flaming hides of the Titans, as Saya evades and slips past her foes with graceful agility. Occasionally, she gives one of the charred rocks a slash of the Bloodcursed Fangs, but she doesn’t have time to deliver any deathblows.  
To try to keep Miljana safe during this event, Nakota has remained next to her companion, tail twitching annoyedly and she growls at anything that appears to get too close.

The tactic works rather well, as Saya shows how skilled she is by avoiding getting hit almost entirely, only letting one or two of them briefly graze her. Hope fills most of the Ascendants at this sight and they wonder if the Canthan may be able to make it after all.  
Unfortunately, the plan is not foolproof and while Saya gets all the way to her target, everyone underestimated his strength. When she leaps to dig the Fangs into his hide, he utilizes his magic to slow her down and before she gets to him, grabs onto her arm and tosses her aside, flinging her through the air like a leaf in the wind. Due to her acrobatic tendencies, she manages to twist herself back onto her feet, but has to abruptly jump away as a necromantic spell flies towards her. She just barely dodges his darkened claws. When she plans another strike on him, two more Titans appear from the lava and she is forced to defend herself from them instead.

With Saya out of the way, Khilbron returns to his previous task, which involves enhancing the Titans’ abilities and trying to summon some more powerful minions, ones that can likely destroy these gnats without delay. He cannot completely concentrate on this, however, as he also has to scatter his magic to keep the others occupied, before they can break through his defenses.  
Out of all of his foes, it is Miljana who provides the most frustrating opposition. Her arrows keep flying all over the battlefield and sometimes even gets close enough to pierce his magical barrier. He eventually scowls and believes it might be time to deal with this issue directly.

Just as Amadi deals another deadly blow to one of the Titans nearby and gets ready to prepare a spell to keep Khilbron busy, he notices how the lich just vanishes into thin air and he frowns in concentration, trying to understand what transpired. He keeps his senses sharpened for a few seconds, searching for the magical energy. Has the Vizier truly left the region? That seems unlikely. He’s powerful, but not to such a degree. That means he must be preparing a more immediate assault. But who...  
Amadi then widen his eyes and turns towards the rear.  
“Miljana! Watch out!”

She glances in her friend’s direction as to understand what he means. Unfortunately, it is too late for the ranger to act as Khilbron remateralizes just a couple of meters ahead of her.  
At this range, she can see how tall he has really become in this twisted shape, more so than what is natural for a human. Soon, she also realizes what surprising speed and strength is included in this form, as his arm reaches out to grab her.  
His free hand snakes around her throat, the claws slightly digging into the skin as he lifts her up from the ground, letting her legs dangle and kick below her. She isn’t ready for it and starts to gasp for air. In the disarray, she drops Truthseeker and her hands instead attempt to squeeze at his arm, but it is in vain.

Khilbron laughs victoriously as he holds the ranger up before him.  
“Miljana Vlasic, I must admit that it has been fascinating to follow your progress. Your skill and cunning is something to be admired for many. You have been both a boon for all you have done to follow my plans, but also quite an obstacle for being able to lead this pitiful group of yours. Fortunately, that will come to end here and now.”  
He tilts his head to the side and smirks as he eyes her briefly.  
“I had not considered it previously, but do you not agree that it would be a fitting end for you to become my undead puppet and do my bidding, just as your precious Prince Rurik? By my side, the people of Tyria shall truly come to fear the death you can unleash.”

His hold is tight and constricting, squeezing her enough that it becomes difficult to breathe, but not so much as to instantly kill her. It’s a cruel way to be held, teasing her with a faint notion of life, while still making her suffer. She has to struggle just to stay conscious and he likely enjoys that. She would prefer not to give him the satisfaction to see her like this, but she doesn’t have many options.  
However, even though the rest of her team are too far away to aid her, she spots something at the edge of her sight and lets that be her glimmer of hope.

Miljana smiles at him weakly and stops struggling.  
“I…I guess if you look at it that way, it’d make for a cruel but ironic conclusion”, she says hoarsely, seemingly pleasing him.

At the same time, to their side, Nakota has gotten ahold of Truthseeker and though she may not be able to wield it, she is smart enough to know how it is utilized. Because it’s placed on a slope, she can put one paw at the grip, pull back the string with her fangs and then drops it at the opportune moment.  
An arrow is fired straight ahead, currently heading in the direction of the lava, which is where the bow was being aimed. Due to Miljana’s mental connection to the weapon, she can still guide the arrow elsewhere, before it becomes wasted.  
The projectile alters its course in the middle of the air and before Khilbron can even react, he feels how pain ripples through him when it penetrates his back. He gasps, and, in his surprise, he drops the ranger to the ground, letting Miljana desperately cough and inhale as much air as she can muster.

The Vizier stumbles away from her, trying to utilize the Scepter to support him as his other hand instinctively tries to reach out for the arrow that weakens him. It is not just any kind of pain which affects him, as had the projectile been a normal physical creation, he could have resisted it. Due to the magical nature of the weapon, this makes it a whole lot worse for him and he staggers away, trying to draw power as to cleanse it from his body.  
In the meantime, Miljana rises from the ground, wipes any residue of his touch from her face and glares as she closes the distance.  
He is just in time to turn and look at her when she stops in front of him.  
“But that’s not how this story ends”, she says calmly but firmly.

Lifting her leg, she puts her foot in the appropriate angle and kicks it straight into his chest, shoving him backwards into the nearby pool of lava. In shock, he drops the Scepter of Orr and the lich does not even have time to scream in fear or agony as the molten rocks devour his existence.  
The Vizier’s short reign of terror has ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Yep, the cat is the hero in this battle. Didn't expect that, did ya? Khilbron sure didn't._   
> 


	52. Wave of passion

The skies above the Sea of Sorrows, previously known as the Bay of Sirens, finally begin to clear up the further away that the ship gets from the Ring of Fire islands. To finally be given the opportunity to witness that landscape in the distance, and not having to traverse it anymore, is a relief unlike anything the team can possibly describe.

After the defeat of Vizier Khilbron and the closing of the Door of Komalie, parts of the island seemed to be erupting and the group quickly escaped towards the coast. It appears that the mursaat and the White Mantle had left ships by the coastline, and with most of them dead, there wasn’t really anyone to stop the remaining Shining Blade and dwarves from stealing the vessels. They obviously waited for their heroes’ arrival, much thanks to the constant vigilance of Evennia, who refused to let them sail without the team. Then again, Salma was obviously on her side.  
That the other rebels had survived at all was an equally enjoyable sight for the Ascendants, who were afraid that they’d been lost when the Titans started rampaging.

Now when they sail back towards Kryta and the rest of the occupants are celebrating somewhere in the center of the ship, two men are standing together at the back, watching the islands visibly shrinking in the distance.  
After a few seconds of silence, Amadi almost winces when Isidro tilts his head backwards and laughs loudly. He reaches up with his hands into the air, like he just won some kind of contest.

“We did it! I can’t believe I’m actually standing here, but we fucking did it!”  
It’s hard to express himself in any other way than to smile and laugh, as he’s overjoyed.  
“Can you believe it? The mursaat are finished, the Titans have been defeated and imprisoned again, and the White Mantle is losing, soon to be only a bad memory.”

Amadi rarely reveals emotions through his facial expressions, not because he doesn’t want to, but because it’s simply who he is. At this time, he does make an effort to smile, though.  
“It is quite an astounding achievement. I would not have believed in our success against such odds either.”

Isidro shakes his head, gripping the railing once more.  
“I feel…free somehow, you know? Haven’t felt that in ages, like I can make anything happen and nothing stands in my way.”

“I may not have been involved in this conflict as long as you have, but I can certainly understand the sentiment. Lengthy hardships such as these can be difficult to endure.”

Once more, Isidro lets himself loose and laughs, even cheering loudly, something which is heard echoing over the waters and being enhanced due to the rest of the celebration among the Krytans.  
In the heat of the moment, he shifts to look at Amadi, who returns his gaze. Shortly after, without thinking, he seizes the dervish’s cheeks, leans closer and kisses him. It’s a rather abrupt move, one done without consideration, permission or fear. That doesn’t last for very long.

Immediately after he realizes what he has done, Isidro pushes himself away, putting a little bit of distance between them.  
“Shit. I…shit.  
Amadi, I’m so sorry. I didn’t…I didn’t mean to do that. Goddammit, I didn’t even think about…”  
He shuts his eyes, slamming his hand on the top of the railing as he’s both embarrassed and angry.  
“Fuck! I’m sorry, okay? That wasn’t-“  
He groans, almost painfully as he raises his hands to cover his face.  
“I’m so goddamn stupid! Shit shit shit. Again, I’m really sorry!”

While Isidro stands there rambling, Amadi merely watches him somewhat speechlessly at first. They don’t have the same reaction, but it is definitely one which Amadi can understand.  
“Well, that was certainly…an unexpected act.”

“I know, I know”, Isidro says and sighs. “Fuck. This…this wasn’t how I wanted it to be, or what I meant to convey when I-…”  
He tries to look at the dervish again, but can’t really maintain his gaze.  
“I apologize, Amadi. I really do.  
I never meant for it to end up like that, but it just came out of nowhere. My mind went blank and I…I just acted.”

Amadi doesn’t look angry when he observes Isidro, but then again, he rarely does. It’s hard to ever tell how he’s feeling, as even when Isidro assumes that the Elonian may have tried to flirt with him, it was done so flatly that, had anyone else said it, he would’ve taken it as a joke. If that was Amadi’s intention or not, it’s hard to say.  
“I did notice that, yes.”

Isidro rubs his eyes for a bit, trying to think the situation through and what he can do to save it. Leaving is definitely an option, but would that really solve anything? At this point, he doesn’t know, but somehow, he feels like it would just ruin it even further. Talking is also an alternative.  
“Perhaps I…should explain myself. I mean, I should’ve done that ages ago, but I never found a good opportunity.”  
He tries to look at Amadi, but his gaze wavers and drifts out to the ocean instead.  
“Anyway, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m usually really bad at hiding my emotions. That goes for anger as much as for joy, sadness or…affection.” He coughs once before he continues.  
“I have wanted to say something for quite some time now, but I felt I was getting mixed signals from you. That has happened before, but with others, I have always eventually managed to coax the truth out of the other person, I guess. It hasn’t been easy to do the same with you, because I…I dunno. Maybe I don’t feel as comfortable about how you would react or…”  
Or maybe this is more important.  
“Erm, obviously, this wasn’t the right time to act in this way, but I suppose it just…erupted. Can’t blame me for trying, right?”  
He laughs rather awkwardly at his own comment, but almost immediately regrets it and buries his face in his hands again.  
“Goddammit, that was really bad, wasn’t it? Shit, now I sound sleazy too, like I’ll just kiss people out of nowhere. Great, Isidro, you’re a fucking romantic disaster.”  
He sighs deeply.  
“That’s totally not true, by the way. I certainly wouldn’t do that, I swear! Well, most of the time, anyway…”

He’s definitely rambling now, just spouting anything he can to save the scenario from descending into an area where it can never return to a normal relationship, but while doing so, he’s instead digging further and further into failure.  
Trying to help him out, Amadi puts a hand on Isidro’s shoulder, making the elementalist temporarily quiet down.  
“There is no need for you to explain yourself or your reaction just now. I have both felt and seen your passion during the last several weeks, perhaps even a few months.”  
He lowers his gaze for a moment and Isidro tries to stay silent and patient, wanting to give him all the time he needs.  
“Personally, I am often rather…inadequate when it comes to displaying my own emotions and therefore remained hesitant of how to respond. I did not know what you would see as acceptable or enjoyable.”

After a few quiet seconds, Isidro shrugs and responds softly.  
“You…could’ve asked?”

Amadi sighs and shakes his head.  
“I know, but I did not know what to ask without seeming unaware or foolish.”  
He falters again, but attempts to gather some courage and push forward.  
“I have not been with another man for a long time, which made it difficult for me to approach the subject. My last partner was much more…unrestricted with his passions, quite like you, and therefore did most of the emotional heavy lifting.  
That said, being around you during these past few months have ignited something I was not sure if it still existed. I would…not be against giving it another try.”

Isidro continues to watch Amadi, feeling how he starts to smile and relax. Not really what he had expected to hear in return, but it’s something he welcomes regardless.  
“Well, if this is what you were unsure about saying, you shouldn’t have waited.”  
He raises a hand and puts it on top of Amadi’s. He can be blatant too.  
“You don’t have to hide your questions or your feelings with me. Say anything you want and I’ll listen. You’re important to me and anything that makes you comfortable is something I’ll keep in mind. That’s what it means to be together.”

Amadi raises his gaze, looking searchingly into Isidro’s grey eyes and feels an odd sense of acceptance from them, one that fills him with warmth. He squeezes the elementalist’s hand a bit harder.  
“Then that is what I want.”

To actually be able to express it freely makes him relieved and Isidro’s joy returns much stronger than before. He closes the distance between them, albeit more carefully than last time.  
“You wanna try this again?”

He notices how Amadi’s eyes leaves his own for a brief moment, looking at his lips and then back up.  
“If that is what you would prefer.”

“Well, yeah, obviously.”  
Isidro chuckles.  
“I’ll try not to bite you, though. Well, I mean, unless you’re into that kind of thing.”

Amadi shakes his head shortly and then drops his arms down towards Isidro’s sides.  
“You do ramble a lot.”  
Pulling the elementalist in, they both shut their eyes as their lips collide. The sensation from the touch is passionate and eager, but tenderness quickly becomes intermingled in order for them to show how important this is.  
Isidro leans back against the railing of the ship, forgetting about the isles, as it now becomes a part of his past, and instead decides to focus on the man in his arm, the one he hopes to embrace his future.


	53. Lost soul

Lion’s Arch, the large and populous capital of Kryta, has been bustling with activity during the past few weeks. The most immediate change back then was the increased presence of the White Mantle, who stalked the streets in search of traitors and hidden members of the Shining Blade, terrorizing the city with interrogations and spying in every corner. After they disappeared to focus on another area, the whole city was wondering what had happened and what was going on. Everyone had heard how the White Mantle apparently had struck a crippling blow to the bandits they had been fighting, but now they were hunting them more fiercely than ever. Why would that be?

Eventually, the Shining Blade returned to Kryta, accompanied by the Ascendants and spread the word that things would be changing around the country, but could not specify what had happened just yet. Questions were aimed at everyone involved, but even Miljana’s team had chosen to stay quiet and still do. It only increases the agitation and uncertainty, of course, but there’s not much else they can do until they know how to act.

At this time, Devona is the only one of her team currently in the city, as Isidro is busy with the Blades and Amadi is of course at his side. It appears those two have finally chosen to accept each other’s feelings, something the three women had suspected for weeks.  
Miljana and Sayaki are also away, however, having chosen to head towards the Ascalonian settlement. Dev intended to go with them, but has been delayed for some very personal reasons.  
She currently stands by a specific area of Lion’s Arch, dedicated to the Five Gods. Five small statues, or shrines, are situated close to each other in a half circle, giving people a choice to either honor one at a time or all five at once. As for Dev, she keeps her head lowered and her hands together, praying in front of Dwayna’s shrine.

Being too busy with her own thoughts, she doesn’t notice how someone approaches her from the side. This woman is the very reason why Dev has been delayed, as the warrior wished to stay in the city while Evennia dealt with some business related to the Lionguard.  
Not wanting to disturb her during something as important and contemplative as this, the Blade leader smiles and folds her arms, waiting a few meters away. Once Dev finally seems to be done and opens her eyes again, she speaks softly.

“Any specific prayers today, beautiful?”

Dev blinks in surprise at first, before redirecting her gaze towards Evennia and watches her knowingly, with a small smile of her own.  
“Yeah, for a few different things, actually. Seems one of them just came true, as that lovely woman is right in front of me now. Guess the gods do still listen.”

Evennia smirks, shakes her head and closes the distance between them. She places one hand on Dev’s cheek, and the other at her shirt collar, gently pulling the warrior down to her height. Dev’s own hands descend to Evennia’s sides and she shuts her eyes when their lips become intertwined in a kiss. They are becoming more used to this now, but after days of uncertainty on the Ring of Fire, Dev has to admit that she was very worried whether it would ever occur again, which is why she savors every moment.

Since they came back a few days ago, Evennia has been very busy in the city, trying to make sure that the connection between the Lionguard and the Shining Blade is once more reestablished. Now that the mursaat are practically not a threat anymore, it’s very likely that the White Mantle will be disappearing as well, either to regroup or to hide. Even if the Blades won’t demand that the Lionguard help them out, it is wise to show that they are still allies.  
Despite this situation, Evennia and Salma have chosen not to create any official station inside of Lion’s Arch, believing it is too dangerous. Not for them, but for the city itself, as the Mantle might target its citizens, in order to chase the Blades out into the open. They refuse to endanger civilians as always.

Once the kiss ends, they remain in each other’s arms. Dev runs a hand through Evennia’s hair as she faces her girlfriend, but can’t deny that her eyes are going distant, mind heading in another direction.  
“Something wrong?”, Evennia asks. “You look like you’re not quite here.”

Dev watches her for a few more moments, before exhaling briefly.  
“I’ve been thinking for a while.”

“Of what?”

“You know, what we should do at this point. I mean, there’s still lots of issues that needs to be dealt with, even if Khilbron is gone.”

Evennia tilts her head to the side curiously.  
“Like the Mantle, you mean?”

“Well, them too, I guess. But there’s more direct issues regarding the fallout of this whole disaster.”

“Hmm, not sure I’m following.”

Dev takes a step to the side, still keeping one arm around Evennia, and reveals a few objects behind her, lying not too far from the shrines. Except for Dev’s backpack and hammer, there’s also another object which she gestures at, one that burns, even if not as brightly anymore.  
“This is still in my possession.”

Evennia watches the sword with interest and doubt at the same time. She has never witnessed it in person, but has heard the tales. Who in Tyria hasn’t, after all?  
“Sohothin, the blade of the heir.”

“Yeah, exactly, and now it isn’t just without a wielder, there’s also no one who can truly inherit it with the same power as the Prince, as it was connected to his spirit, his blood. Or well, that’s how the tale goes, anyway.”

Evennia nods briefly, still observing the blade for a little while. It is truly both an inspiring and fearsome sight, even without anyone holding it. There are other weapons with enchantments and such, which has been used by many armies and adventurers, but very few truly magical ones exist. Dev may be wielding one herself now, with Dragonheart in her hands, but it does not have a reputation yet. Not like Sohothin.  
“Yeah, guess that’s true. And he didn’t have any children, right?”

Dev shakes her head sadly.  
“No, he didn’t.”  
She raises her free hand to scratch at her own neck in thought.  
“I’ve been…asking for guidance from the Five, since it's a big responsibility. Technically, I am its caretaker now, as we didn’t know what else to do with it and Jana said it was for the best if I hold onto it.”  
She sighs heavily, her eyes shifting in emotions from doubt to mild frustration.  
“It’s hard to know what I should do, though. The choice is so important as well.”

It’s hard to deny it, especially when it comes to Dev. The blade belongs to her own nation and to a man she served and trusted for many years. She likely feels like she’d be betraying everything she knows if she doesn’t do this right.  
“Well, I can’t tell you what should or should not do, but perhaps I can advise you somehow. Do you have any options yet?”

“Yeah, plenty.  
I mean, part of me wants to deliver it back to Ascalon and into the hands of King Adelbern. He is the King, Rurik’s father and, technically, this probably belongs to him.”  
She begins to frown.  
“But…I don’t know if he deserves it.”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

Dev looks reluctant to answer at first, probably struggling with her own emotions. She’s about to criticize her King, her ruler, the one who leads her nation. Or rather, what used to be her nation.  
“Because I don’t know if what he did was right.  
He abandoned his own son, Evennia, and let Rurik lead the exodus to Kryta alone. He didn’t seem to care, deeming anyone who even thought about it as cowards.  
Was this decision really what a father would do? Was he right? And what would happen if he receives Sohothin again? Would I be responsible for anything that occurs?”  
She slowly runs the hand along her cheek, letting all this sink in. It’s like she’s questioning herself openly, rather than simply explaining.  
“I’m just not sure.”

Evennia looks thoughtful and nods once more, trying to caress Dev’s hand to keep her in the present.  
“Alright, what are your other options then?”

“Well, I guess I could also let it stay here. You know, give it to Salma. I have considered it and it’s not a terrible idea, or at least I don’t think so. She may not be Ascalonian royalty, but she is one kind of royalty.  
Me and Jana have observed her while we’ve been fighting together, and we both think that she’s a good person. We’re certain that she will become a good ruler one day and with the blood of King Doric flowing through her, just like Adelbern and Rurik, would she not be a suitable alternative?”  
She stops, starting to bite at her lower lip in thought.  
“It’s such a difficult decision to make and I’m not sure if I’m ready to commit yet.”

It has only been days since they left the Ring of Island and got back here, and yet during that time, it appears that Dev has been haunted by a choice she likely never expected to have to make.  
“I see what you mean, but is there a deadline of some sort? You don’t have to hurry, do you?”

“No, technically I don’t, but…there’s a third option too.  
Me and the rest of the group have decided that we’re going to head back into the mountains in about a week. Before we docked in Kryta, we all received a vision from Glint.”

“The dragon you spoke of?”

“Yeah. Her powers are a lot more substantial than we initially believed, or maybe it’s just because we have been to her lair. I dunno.  
Anyway, she told us that there are still Titans out there, causing mayhem and terrorizing the people of Tyria. It was our mistake to let them out and we need to fix this. The Shiverpeaks is gonna be our first destination.”  
Once more, her gaze shifts and she faces the burning blade.  
“The last part of me wonders if…if perhaps Sohothin has fought enough and it is time to put it to rest.”

Evennia arches her brow curiously.  
“You mean, leaving it in the mountains?”

“Yeah, or at least utilize it for one last fight. Would not the mountains where its wielder truly fell be a suitable resting place?”  
She takes a deep breath and shrugs.  
“I don’t know yet, but I will be considering this while we’re up there.”

Squeezing her hand a bit more tightly, Evennia leans against her girlfriend.  
“I understand how difficult this must be for you and even though there are things I could tell you, ways which I might prefer that you go, I’m not going to do that. This should be your decision, as he was your Prince and your friend. All I can say is, think carefully before you make it. Either way, I will support you.”

This seems to ease some of Dev’s tension and she smiles at Evennia, stroking her thumb at the back of the other woman’s hand. She then pulls the Blade leader away from the shrines and towards a railing next to them. These altars are built on an elevated platform, being accessed through a set of stairs and when one stands by the railing, the city sprawls out below them.  
Dev turns her back to it and leans against it, while Evennia steps as close as she can. She puts one hand down on the railing at either side of Dev and pushes against her. It is an intimate move which Dev definitely enjoys, as she rests her arms around Evennia’s shoulders.

“I appreciate that you care and that you understand me. It really means a lot.”

Evennia smiles and rests her chin against Dev’s chest, looking up into the warrior’s eyes at the same time.  
“I wish I could come with you but, unfortunately, I still have duties here in Kryta with the Shining Blade. The White Mantle is still out there and Salma needs my help.”

Dev nods, gaining a somewhat solemn expression. She shifts the position of her hands, letting one run through Evennia’s hair, while the other caresses her cheek.  
“I get it and I wouldn’t stop you from going. I know how much you matter to them.  
I suppose this is what we might have to do for a while. We both have different duties, even if our goals are the same.”

While she doesn’t say it, Evennia does feel quite saddened when she considers this fact, knowing that it’s true. Neither of them can stop it, and all they can hope for is that they can endure.  
Once more grabbing onto the top of Dev’s shirt, she pulls the Ascalonian down into another kiss, this one deeper and more demanding than before. It oozes with yearning and an unsaid request.  
They only take a brief pause in the middle, allowing Evennia to express what they’re both thinking.

“Come back whenever you can. I will be waiting.”


	54. Vlasic

During the tumultuous few months since their arrival, the Ascalonians have done their utmost to focus upon establishing a place for themselves in Kryta, creating homes, guard posts, a protective wall and get everyone into positions where they can best help each other. It has been a collective effort, just like the escape from their old home, and even though it has not been easy, they have endured the hardships thanks to their vigilance, determination and kindness to one another. The most difficult part was likely the constant exterior surveillance from the White Mantle, who often came to question them about the few traitors in their midst. Despite having the ability to do something about it, everyone continuously refused to say anything regarding either Miljana or Devona, knowing what the two women had done for them all. If it were not for Miljana’s leadership and Devona’s relentless will to protect her people, they likely would never have arrived in the state which they did. Their personal sacrifices have been repaid with loyalty.

And now, as at least one of them returns to the settlement together with her Canthan companion, bringing news of the White Mantle’s defeat, the town erupts in joy and celebration. The conflict may not be over, but the success they have managed to achieve thus far cannot go unrewarded.  
The guards, remnants of the Ascalon Vanguard, thanks her for all the devotion and selfless actions she has taken. Many of the crafters and farmers wants to offer her gifts, but she ends up politely turning a lot of them down, thinking they can come to better use here than with her. She’s almost afraid they’d suggest building statues for the group, but thankfully they don’t go quite that far.

Once she has managed to get past most of them, she instead turns her attention towards a small group of people in the back of the town, ones she hasn’t seen in ages and who likely wanted to give her the chance to be greeted by the rest of the settlement before she came to visit them.  
At the sight of two very familiar figures, equipped with bows and accompanied by somewhat older feline stalkers, she feels how her chest is being filled with such overwhelming elation and warmth, emotions that are difficult to contain. Not being able to hold herself back, she begins to run and practically leaps into the arms of the two people awaiting her.

“Mother! Father!”

Onyeka smiles and Ferid laughs heartily as they embrace their daughter. The former leans her head against Miljana’s, while the latter runs a hand down her back.  
“Oh, Miljana, my little girl. It’s so good to see you again”, Onyeka says as she shuts her eyes.

“Can hardly believe it’s you, sweetie”, Ferid remarks. “We haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”  
He suddenly feels something touching his leg and notices how a purring stalker strokes herself against him, making him chuckle.  
“Yes, yes, and you too, Nakota!”

Saya is nearby, but she chooses to remain at a distance for now, smiling and folding her arms as she leans against a nearby fence.  
When her parents finally give her a little bit of space, Onyeka puts her hands on Miljana’s cheeks, looking deeply into her eyes.  
“You can’t understand how worried we’ve been for you, Jana.”

Miljana looks amused as she smiles.  
“Tsk, it’s not that hard to guess, mother. But hey, I’ve felt the same about you two. I’m very glad that you’re both safe.”

Ferid arches a brow and smirks slightly.  
“About us? Sweetheart, you and Devona are the ones that everyone has been worried for!  
You don’t think we’ve heard about all the dangers you’ve gotten yourself into, huh? Some people doubted you would ever get out of it alive, taken by either the desert, the mountains or the White Mantle.”

Onyeka sighs.  
“I know I’ve always said that you should be allowed to take whatever paths you want in life, but that wasn’t me condoning the notion of joining a rebellion, you know.”

It is now Miljana’s turn to chuckle.  
“Hey, we did what we needed to do! It was necessary for the safety of all Kryta.”  
She looks down thoughtfully.  
“But, I will admit that we feared the same for a time. It looked very bleak in some of our darkest hours, especially at the end. However, we all knew that we had to return. Too many had died for the cause, for us to be able to succeed and the White Mantle could not be permitted to continue. We were never going to give up that easily.”

“I don’t think anyone would ever claim that you were taking it easy during this madness, Miljana”, Ferid points out.  
“That said, we’ve heard the craziest stories about you all.”

Onyeka nods with interest, letting her hands slip down, but keeps one around Miljana’s hand still.  
“Indeed. Not gonna deny that we’re curious.  
Is it true what the Shining Blade have been saying? Did you truly go into the Crystal Desert? Were you…blessed by the Five Gods?”

“Did you speak to them? Are the tales about dragons and ghostly heroes true as well?”

Jana smiles and sighs briefly, shaking her head.  
“I…think we should perhaps wait with the big questions until later. It’s a lot longer and more complicated than you might think, so I’d like to save it for a quieter moment.”

Ferid folds his arms with a smirk on his lips.  
“Trying to escape with your grand tales, huh?”

“No, no! I will get into it later, I promise, but…”  
She takes a deep breath and emits it slowly, showing some of her exhaustion.  
“It’s just been such a hectic and overwhelming time as of late. I…came here partially to get back into some kind of normal life, you know? We’ve all been through so much devastation and we’re not even done yet. Would be nice to know that it’s all been worth it.”

Both of her parents show expressions that they understand and Onyeka moves a hand up to her cheek.  
“Of course, my dear. We didn’t mean to push you or anything.  
You want to hear about what we’ve been doing in the town while you’ve been gone?”

“I’d love to!”

She takes Miljana’s hand once more and together, they begin to move closer to one of the nearby wooden buildings; although not to the interior, but rather the surrounding area.  
The house itself is quite long, but not very tall, likely built to hold a lot of rooms within. Just like many other buildings in the vicinity, it is surrounded by gardens where they grow vegetables, crops and other necessary materials to help increase the town’s resources. This particular house does not have as much focus on this field as some of the early established farms connected to the settlement, but the denizens still want to help.

“While you and the rest have been gone, Captain Greywind has remained in charge”, Onyeka explains. “He has really grown into the role now, even if he’s not quite as comfortable when it comes to the more mundane events that occur every now and then. People offer suggestions for future festivals, community gatherings and ways to improve life, but he tends to hesitate. He’s not a mayor, only a guard Captain, after all.”

Ferid nods in agreement.  
“It hasn’t been very easy for us here, even if we do our best. There’s not much left of our clan after the war against the charr, but we endure.”  
The words are spoken quite solemnly, bringing underlying notions of sorrow to all three, as well as for Saya and Nakota who follow them. Around the gardens connected to this house, they can see a few people working or chatting, some of them looking up to wave towards the group. It appears these people, no more than a dozen, are what’s left of clan Vlasic. They know a few more individuals chose to stay in Ascalon, but can they really survive?  
“That said, Greywind still comes to us occasionally and asks for help. We obviously do what we can and offer the knowledge which we brought from Regent Valley. Some look up to us for having lived as guardians for so long. We’ve mostly made sure to establish ourselves as lead scouts and creating some hunting parties that can head out and add to our food supplies, in between the farms which have recently been started up.”

Onyeka’s eyes are on the road ahead, but she squeezes Miljana’s hand a little bit.  
“It’s very much a community effort so far, which is very positive, as we all know what we’re fighting for. We struggle to keep our future in this land secure. We may be Krytans now, but we shall always keep the Ascalonian spirit intact, just like we let the Elonian spirit endure back in the Valley.”

Miljana smiles gently, almost looking proudly at her parents.  
“I’m very glad to hear that you’re all doing so well and how the settlement seems to grow stronger. I’d love to stick around for a while and see all of it.”  
She glances over her shoulder.  
“Before we do all that, though, I…need to introduce you to someone. She’s fairly important, actually.”

They both see how she stop and looks towards the other woman behind them, gesturing for her to come closer. Saya picks up the pace in order to reach them.  
“Oh, that’s your friend, right? From Cantha?”, Onyeka asks.

Miljana clears her throat.  
“Uh, yes, my…friend. We’ve erm, gotten very close in the last several months. Last time, you only saw her briefly, though, which means it’s best I introduce her properly now.”  
Once she’s right in front of them, the ranger lets go of her mother’s hand and sort of stands in between them.  
“Mother, father, this is Sayaki. She’s…my girlfriend.”

Both of them immediately widen their eyes in surprise, looking at Miljana to begin with, then at Saya and lastly, a quick glance at each other.  
“Your girlfriend?”

“Yes, that’s right. We’ve been together for a couple of months now. Well, more than that.”

While Ferid looks mildly shocked still, Onyeka mostly stares at Saya curiously.  
“You never mentioned this in any of the words you sent back to us”, her father points out.

Miljana coughs somewhat awkwardly.  
“Well, that’s…that’s true, but I just wasn’t completely sure how or what I would say. It just felt better to save it until we could see each other face-to-face.”  
She scratches her cheek in thought.  
“I hadn’t expected it’d take this long, though…”

She may not admit it out loud, but Saya feels very worried about the glances she’s receiving, even if she tries to keep it cool. Doesn’t want them to hate her right away, or panic.  
“Uh, hey! It’s very nice to finally meet you two. Jana has told me quite a lot about you.”

Saya shakes their hands, but only Ferid offers her a smile as he speaks.  
“That makes one of us.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Like she said, though, we didn’t want to spoil it all by just explaining everything in a letter.  
However, I can say that your daughter is amazing. I mean, better than that! Jana is probably the best person I’ve ever met. Without her, it’s unlikely that our team would’ve ever succeeded as well as we did. She’s basically our leader and has been ever since we were fully established.”  
She moves her arms behind her back and begins to fidget with her hands.  
“As for our relationship, well…I do everything I can to keep Jana happy, even when I’m not sure if it’s working.”

Miljana’s lips form another smile, as she puts one of her hands around Saya’s.  
“Don’t worry about that, beautiful. You’re doing just fine.”

Saya feels very thankful for the support, so much so that she would prefer to kiss the other woman right here, but hesitates due to the fact that she’s not sure how the parents would react.  
“I don’t really have much experience with long-term relationships, so I’ve constantly been doubtful if what I’m doing is enough.  
Uh, obviously, that’s not to say that I’m not trying! I’m trying very hard, in fact! Not gonna fail your daughter”, she says and laughs a bit nervously.

Ferid folds his arms, while Onyeka merely continues to stare. Her mother is making Saya a bit uncomfortable, but she doesn’t want to say it.  
“You’re from Cantha, right?”, Ferid asks.

“Yup! Kaineng city to be specific. It’s the largest and oldest city over there, probably the oldest human city on all of Tyria.”

“What made you sail to Kryta?”

She takes a deep breath and shrugs.  
“Oh, you know, my life wasn’t great back home. There were things that I had to deal with which made it difficult for me and I felt the need to start over, find a better life. Coming to Kryta seemed like the best opportunity.  
I mean, joining a rebel group was definitely not part of it, but I’m not gonna complain. We’ve done a lot of good and it’s been strangely satisfying to basically be seen as a hero. Not really used to that.”

Ferid tilts his head curiously.  
“Oh? Are you saying that you’re more accustomed to being in trouble?”

Saya is stunned into silence at first, especially as he seems to have hit the nail on the head.  
“U-uh, well…I mean, no, you couldn’t-  
I-I’m not saying that I wasn’t gonna-  
It’s not like my life was-“  
She tries to exhale and regain control of herself.  
“I promise you, mister Ferid, that I don’t intend to cause any harm to your daughter. I swear!”

He arches a brow at her eager defense, before he laughs.  
“Oh, my dear friend, don’t you worry about me. It’s her mother’s reaction you should be concerned for.”

Somehow, Saya isn’t at all surprised by this, but she looks very unsure when she carefully turns her eyes to Onyeka.  
The older female ranger stares at Saya for a few more seconds, before she sees that it’s time to make a move. She strides forward, stopping only inches away and lifts her hand to Saya’s chin, trying to get a closer look.  
“I can see in your eyes and your skin that you’ve been through a lot, even before you came to Kryta.”

“W-well…yeah, pretty much. I wasn’t-“

“The problem is, how determined are you to become a different person than the one you used to be?”

Saya opens her mouth, but nothing is emitted from it. She hadn’t anticipated such a clearsighted view, an understanding beyond what she had revealed so far. Or is it simply that blatant?  
“I’m…as determined as I can be, ma’am.”

Onyeka furrows her brow somewhat, but there is still an amused edge to her eyes.  
“We shall see, won’t we?  
At any rate, there is definitely available space among clan Vlasic for another member, but you will have to prove yourself. And once marriage is on the negotiation table, there are certain conditions we’d like to include among the demands, before we proceed.”

That makes the assassin take a step back and raise her free hand.  
“Whoa whoa, hold on! Marriage?”

Onyeka crosses her arms over her chest and smirks faintly.  
“That’s right. Didn’t think we’d just let you run off without discussing your future, did you?”

Saya is speechless, overwhelmed by how swiftly these two have pushed her into a corner, despite hoping to be able to defend herself.  
Seeing it all happening, Miljana starts to laugh, not being able to help herself.  
“Mother, don’t scare her off! You’ve already done that enough for me in the past.”

Onyeka shrugs nonchalantly.  
“I have to make sure that you have the right partner and not someone who won’t appreciate you.”

Understanding better of what’s going on here, Saya breathes out in an attempt to calm down and despite wanting to stay brave, she chooses to take a step closer to Miljana, seeking safety with her girlfriend.  
“Well, sorry to spoil it for ya, but it’s not gonna be that easy. I’m far too fond of this lovely woman by now to be deterred.”

She shares a gaze with Miljana, who smiles, but also appears quite amused.  
“You looked pretty scared there for a moment.”

“Pff. I was just…giving them a chance to show how protective they are of their daughter, that’s all. Now I know they care.”

“Uh-huh, sure you did.”  
She lifts a hand up to Saya’s cheek, pulling her into a tender and loving embrace. Their lips lock into a kiss, one urged on by Miljana, who eagerly wraps her arms around the other woman.  
Even though they have their doubts, both Onyeka and Ferid can see that their daughter has never shown more notions of feeling safe and cherished than she does here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Not sure if anyone actually read this far but, it's been fun writing this first GW1 story. Took a bit longer than I expected._   
>  _Anyway, thanks to those who've read, given kudos and/or commented! I hope that some of you found it interesting enough, even if it was just a retelling of the game's story._   
> 


End file.
